


Drugs, Heist, and Everything at a Price

by dooodies



Category: Powerpuff Girls
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Betrayal, Blossick, Blossom - Freeform, Boomer - Freeform, Bubbles - Freeform, Butch - Freeform, Butchercup, Crimes & Criminals, Death, Denial of Feelings, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, Heist, Multi, Murder Mystery, PPG - Freeform, RRB, Sexual Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension, boomubbles, brick - Freeform, buttercup - Freeform, mafia, powerpuffgirls - Freeform, powerpuffgirlsz, ppgxrrb, rowdyruffboys, rrbxppg
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:01:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 22,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24394690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dooodies/pseuds/dooodies
Summary: The Jojo Brothers are no strangers when it comes to the dangers of meddling with the life of criminals. Brick, Boomer, and Butch are top agents at CIA, having caught some of the most threatening and nefarious criminals in the world.But when the boys are handed the unsolvable case of 'The Caligo,' they're forced into the underground society of the most wicked and dangerous mafia known to man. The brothers are determined to bring down the anonymous leaders behind the so called gang, along with their multi million dollar empire crashing behind them.Little do they know, the girls of drugs, heist, and everything at a price are just one step ahead of them.PPG/RRB: Reds, Blues, Greens PairingsTransferred from Wattpad: @dooodies
Relationships: Boomer/Bubbles Utonium, Brick/Blossom Utonium, Butch/Buttercup Utonium
Comments: 10
Kudos: 82





	1. The First Spark

**Chapter 1: The First Spark**

**"How much for the pretty doll?"**

**"Depends on how much you're willing to spend."**

The masked man leaned into the threadbare wall as he drew in a deep breath from his cigar before blowing the thick cloud of smoke at his client's face. He donned a clean fitted suit, his lengthy auburn hair tied to the back of his head. He clicked his tongue as the blunt of tobacco danced in between his fingers before releasing the pathetic cigarette onto the coarse earth. The man grimaced as he rubbed the sole of his shoe over the dying flame.

 **"I said, what's the price, _Brick_?"** The client hissed, his face wrinkled up in frustration as his patience ran thin.

 **"Highest bid on the slut is $3,000. Add another thousand and then we can talk."** Brick shoved his hands into his pockets and casually swung his leg over the other.

It could be any second now.

The buyer sneered, his palm reaching into the back of his tattered jeans, stroking the bulge of a compact wad of bills he had pilfered the previous hour.

Another beauty to his collection.

However, before the snarky man was able to announce his approval of the agreement, his attention snapped quickly towards the door behind them, his ears twitching from the sound of the faint crunch of feet against gravel.

 **"I brought company,"** the auburn dealer stated bluntly, pushing himself off the wall. His expression remained tranquil and blank.

 **"ITS THE _POLICE_ ,"** the door began to ripple at the harsh battering from the other side. **_"OPEN UP!"_**

Brick's hand darted swiftly out from his pant pocket, clutching a handgun as he pointed it straight at the alarmed individual. His eyes narrowed threateningly as the red-head watched the swindler turn back around, shooting a death glare at the tawny-haired traitor.

**"Hope you didn't mind."**

**"Why you _little sh_ -"**

His face contorted in terror as the entrance behind him shattered into pieces, chunks of wood and splinters flying onto the floor. The police stormed in, cornering the two.

**"HANDS UP IN THE AIR. STAY WHERE YOU ARE. _FREEZE_."**

The client staggered back, feeling himself collapse onto the concrete floor beneath him. His breath hitched as he was roughly lifted by his collar, finding himself face to face with a husky man with jet black hair, and vivid green eyes.

His eyes trailed down to the golden badge that was neatly pinned at the breast of the dark-haired male's uniform, signaling his business and name: _'Butch, CIA.'_ Butch's sharp eyes glowered down at the frightened fellow as he held a gun to the side of his head.

 **"Move a limb and I'll blow your fucking brains out,"** The dark-haired male barked as his hold on the neckband tightened. The guy under him sunk. Butch growled in return.

Another figure emerged from within the mass of policemen, his unkempt blonde hair and misty blue eyes gleaming under the single light bulb that hung above the scene. His badge: _'Boomer, CIA.'_

A satisfied smirk spread across the blonde's face as he twirled the handcuffs around his pointer finger jeeringly, bending down and dangling the metal restraints in front of the crook.

 **"You wretched _twat_ ,"** the criminal spat out, his forehead wrinkled and the bottom of his lip curled up. **"You _fucked_ with me, you - you _scheming_ little _bitch_."**

 **"You may be the best sex trafficker here in New York,"** Boomer waved a teasing finger. He had almost felt bad for him.

**"But you sure as hell don't know how to clean up after yourself, _Craig_."**

Boomer slipped the chains onto the crook, allowing Butch to release his grasp and withdraw the weapon from the side of Craig's head. Brick slid his handgun back into his pant pocket as the group of police hulled the man away, a string of curse words tumbling right after him.

 **"He prepared a bunch of weak ass goons outside,** " Butch snickered, recalling the fight right before the arrest. **"That fight was a _joke_. Anyone who throws a cheap shot-"**

 **"Good work,"** Brick interjected before his brother had a chance to continue with his banter. **"God I've had enough of dark alleyways and _asswipes_ like him."**

 **"That dumbass left more than enough breadcrumbs behind him. Though, I can't imagine _fake dealing_ for two months."** Boomer huffed out a breath of air, swinging an arm around the now pouty Butch.

**"Now his sex trafficking corporation goes down the drain with him."**

The three brothers sauntered out of the abandoned building, the dim sunset washing down on the world like a blanket. The rustle of the leaves and the cool atmosphere mixed with the quiet chatter from the males.

Another successful mission checked off their list.

_The Jojo Brothers._

-

He woke to the deep groan of loose floorboards and the painful throbbing of his temples. He winced as he felt the sharp ache cut through his stomach. He attempted to move his arms but found that he was a prisoner to the chair he was sitting in. The desperate male tussled against the crude cords that tied him down, his teeth chomping down at the bundle of cloth that had been taped into his mouth.

 **"There, there,"** he heard a chirpy voice coax. His eyes widened in fear as he felt his heart pick up in speed.

 **"Why are you running away?"** He could sense the female pout as he shot a glare towards the dark corner where the voice had emanated.

**"We were just getting _started_."**

He tried to scream, but it was no use. His frantic cries for help were smothered in the fabric.

There was a sound of hushed shuffling before he heard light footsteps approach his direction. He slumped back into the chair with dread, his body trembling and his forehead broke out into cold sweat.

**"No offense, your little party wasn't my cup of tea."**

His vision flickered as he caught a glimpse of blue silk fabric. Blue fabric. Blue fabric. Where had he seen that before?

God he shouldn't have drunk.

**"All I had to do was give them a little show and they all come flocking like lost puppies."**

The woman traced a finger down his neck, her nail scraping against his rough skin. His heart halted as he felt a warm breath against his ear. She giggled sweetly.

**"Including _you_."**

The strange female circled back to the dark corner, leaving some of the blue party dress to sparkle against the dim moonlight. She laughed to herself as she glanced at her hostage, soaking in his misery.

It was all she thrived on.

She had nothing else left for her anyways.

 **"What the hell do you want from me?"** the victim's voice muffled like a capped speaker, but his words were still perceptible. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, clicking her tongue.

 **"Now,"** the woman started, chuckling softly under her breath. **"Where would a successful man like you hide some of your _best-kept secrets_?"**

 **"What do you mean?"** His jaw felt sore and he had started to drool from the corner of his mouth.

 **"So _stingy,"_** she gasped defensively as if he had offended her in some way.

**"What a pity you won't tell me anything about those _Jojo triplets_."**

The man's brows furrowed together.

**"I guess I'll just have to find out myself."**

Once again, the pawn made a great effort to fight against the restraints, but nothing had changed. The ropes retained their iron grip and his skin started to go raw and tender from the abrasive friction.

 **"Always in a hurry,"** the girl smiled, sucking her teeth, and checking her nails before turning back to the man.

**"I think I'm getting bored with you."**

She reached into her dress and pulled a pistol out of her corset.

The color from his face drained as the gentleman shook his head frantically upon hearing the sharp click of the gun's reload.

 **"Who are you?!"** He shrieked against the fabric, his voice cracking as he felt panic course through every vein of his body.

 **"I think you already know who I am _Jonathan_ ,"** the female took a step closer into the luminescence that washed into the room, revealing her soft blonde hair and sparkling dress. Her frosty blue eyes were framed with long lashes and light pink lipstick sat on top of her smooth plump lips. She aimed her gun right at Jonathan's forehead, the innocent countenance dropping from her face.

**"I'm who you people call _The Blue Caligo_."**

The sound of a gunshot pierced through the night as she watched the body drop limply.

**_Bubbles Utonium._ **

-

**"Third floor, left-wing. He stores all his agents' files in that hidden room behind the painting at the very end of the hallway."**

Three individuals raced through the corridors, their eyes carefully sweeping the walls for any sort of security. Bubbles tapped away on her phone, hacking into the house's security operations as she proceeded to disable cameras and invisible lasers.

They had come to a large abstract painting when the blonde whispered, **"it's done. Erased all traces of our presence."**

 **" _Geez_ , this dude got _a horrible_ taste,"** the dark-haired girl grimaced in disdain, her nose crinkling up. She stepped forward, ready to jump through when she felt a tug at her wrist, pulling her back.

 **" _Buttercup_ ," **the redhead whispered harshly, her ponytail swinging behind her. The bow that sat at the top of her head had been covered in soot from their break-in. **"Don't bite off more than you can chew."**

Buttercup rolled her eyes, flashing her signature smirk.

**_"Puh-lease Blossom_ , you're acting like this is my first rodeo."**

**_Buttercup Utonium._ **

**_Blossom Utonium._ **

Before Blossom could answer, her sister had already disappeared through the canvas, leaving her and Bubbles on the other side.

Buttercup landed firmly on the ground, pulling out her laser detecting spray and permitting the contents to run free. She observed as the fragrance drifted and vanished with no sign of any light beams. With another hasty glimpse around the room, she shouted behind her,

**"It's clear!"**

The two sisters plunged in through the picture, their boots chattered noiselessly as they met the marble tiles

 **"There she is in all her glory,"** Bubbles gestured to the computer at the very far end of the room, located neatly on a desk in the center of a heap of beige envelopes. They moved towards the laptop and worked to rummage through the physical files as Bubbles began to decode the software.

Blossom's attention snapped like a whip as she heard a silent crack. Her fingers reached for her dagger as she took a step back. Buttercup too, stopped dead at her tracks and noted their surroundings suspiciously. She growled when she noticed the first dark figure drop from the ceiling.

**"Bloss, I think we've got some company."**

A sudden mob of dark figures fell on them like a bomb and were slowly closing in on the three. Buttercup lunged herself forward, knocking two at a time as Blossom launched agile kicks and punches. The raven-haired girl snarled as she took a punch to her face before throwing a roundhouse kick at the person who delivered it.

The two panted heavily, their chests heaving up and down.

 **"Little help here Bubbles,"** Blossom cried, catching her breath. Her back pressed against Buttercup.

The blonde disregarded her sister, watching the slim download bar fill up before her and the information flowing into the small flash drive. The computer beeped as the process finished successfully and Bubbles yanked out the memory stick, dropping it securely in her corset.

 **"Let's GO, _LET'S GO_ ,"** Bubbles waved her hand fiercely, motioning her sisters to follow as she hauled the window open. Her hair blew behind her as the chilly breeze flowed into the room.

She watched as Blossom and Buttercup leaped out the window before she took her step towards the earth. Bubbles perched gently on the dirt before pulling the USB from her cleavage.

**"Girls, look like we've got some fans."**

-

The Jojo Brothers entered the conference room after they had changed into their respective CIA uniforms. Each boy took a seat on one of the many cushioned sofas that surrounded the small round table.

Brick rested his arms on the surface of the furniture and clasped his hands together patiently.

 ** _Brick Jojo,_** the eldest of the Jojo brothers. His flaming orange hair stopped mid-back and his eyes were an abnormal shade of red. He was indefinitely the brains of the group, having graduated at the top of his class with a 4.0 GPA along with a full ride to Harvard Law. Brick played a big part in their missions, being the one who planned out every scheme to catch their targets red-handed.

Butch, unlike his older brother, relaxed back in the chair and crossed his arms.

 ** _Butch Jojo,_** the middle child of the three triplets. His jet black hair fell messily on top of his head as his dark green eyes darted impatiently. In contrary to his older brother, Butch went through quite a rebellious phase during his teenage years, picking fights with random pimps that dirtied the alleyways and creating havoc in the school. He's deemed the toughest fighter of the three and could take on a group of people while making himself a turkey sandwich all at the same time.

Boomer on the other hand, combed his hands through his hair as his left leg bounced up and down.

 ** _Boomer Jojo,_** the youngest brother. He was the techie of their team, being extremely gifted at both coding and hacking. Boomer uncovered all the essential information needed for their targets, including social security numbers, birth certificates, and even passwords. It's like he always carried a big magnifying glass wherever he went. He'd track their location, follow their bread crumbs, and sooner or later have them off and ready for jail in a snap of his fingers.

**"What can I say? Well done boys, yet again."**

A figure emerged from the door, applauding softly. Their manager Frances beamed, the sides of her eyes wrinkling up with delight. But her bright smile dissipated as quickly as it had appeared, her face becoming eerily serious.

 **"There's good news and unfortunately some bad news too,"** she announced.

Brick arched a brow as Boomer leaned forward. Butch remained at his spot, his face expressing no emotion at all, his arms still crossed over his chest.

 **"The good news is, Craig's been locked up for good, receiving a life sentence for trafficking over two hundred young girls,"** Frances explained. **"We've uncovered several files with various names, dates, and prices. We've teamed up with the police force and they're on their way to catch a handful of dealers that were associated with Craig's trafficking corporation."**

 **"Serves that sicko right,"** Butch scowled. Boomer only yawned in addition.

Frances paused for a moment, then sighed, letting out a shaky breath and clapping her hands together.

 **"The bad news. I'm afraid it's very _terrible_ news actually,"** Frances unveiled the folder that had been clasped under her arm, placing it on the table for the brothers to see.

 **"Our boss Jonathan has been brutally _murdered_ ,"** she opened the folder, showing them the bloodstained photo of the man's flaccid figure, a blue ribbon attached to his neck, and a gaping hole right through the middle of his forehead.

 **"Bullet through the brain,"** Butch muttered under his breath. Both a pitiless and humane execution. It confused him.

 **"We didn't understand the killer's motives then and we still don't understand them now,"** Frances continued. **"We believe it must've been one of the guests attending his party that night, but we had no leading evidence to conclude that it had been any of them. His house was untouched, left just the way it was the day before. We checked the security cameras and found no footage. Whoever hacked into the cameras were good because they have been shut down _permanently_."**

Boomer's eyes grew a little at the message, then tapered in suspicion. New York only knew one other techie that was almost as good as Boomer, and that was his co-worker Dexter.

CIA never mentioned computer genius _criminals_.

And he highly doubted that Dexter had been a part of this.

Her hand flipped the photograph over, revealing a blue ribbon that stained with dots of blood. The same ribbon that had been tied around Jonathan's neck.

 ** _"The Caligo,"_** Brick whispered, his mind turning its gears.

 **"That's right,"** Frances's eyes fluttered from Brick's to Boomer's, then Butch's.

**"It's The Caligo's signature. They're especially known for marking their victims with silk ribbons of three distinct colors: _red, blue, and green_. You and I both know that these monsters don't go out of their way to kill cold-blooded without an intention. They wanted something from the CIA and they surely got it. We just don't know what it was."**

Butch scanned the small dainty ribbon.

Who would use a dead body as a trophy?

 **"What else do you know about them?"** Boomer prodded.

 **"Not a lot,"** Frances answered, sucking her breath in. **"They're quite good at staying under the radar while running probably the most dangerous mafia the CIA has ever laid eyes on. What we do know is that there are without a doubt three leaders who we call: _The Red Caligo, The Blue Caligo, and The Green Caligo._ The Red's an expert when it comes to the booming business of drug dealing. They've dealt almost four million dollars worth of cocaine worldwide during the past two years and that's only the tip of the iceberg. The Green's a heist mastermind, having successfully broken into some of the world's top security museums, offices; you name it, they've done it. They're by far the most reckless of the group, intentionally coming in contact with lasers and setting off alarms during the scheme. What's scarier is that it all seems like a mindless game to them, like child's play.**

**"Now lastly The Blue Caligo. They're good with their words and even better at talking money. They'll worm into your mind and then into your bank account. They've managed to scam and outsmart some of the biggest companies in the world then simply vanish off the face of the earth.**

**"They run an empire of crime at the tips of their fingers and not once have we gotten closer to finding them. Their identities and members remain anonymous. No names, no ages, no genders, and no faces. Nothing. We've begun to think that this mafia is just them, and them three only."**

Brick's head ducked down as he stared the files, shuffling papers, and examining the detective notes inscribed on a small square of a purple sticky note.

 **"It's no surprise to me that they've committed crimes throughout the world,"** Brick pointed out. His eyes browsed the list of crimes.

**"But what surprises me, even more, is that most of them are in New York."**

Butch placed a hand at his temple, trying to put two and two together. But the information felt like an impossible jigsaw puzzle whose pieces are were all from different cuts.

 **"So you would think their hideout is somewhere located here in New York,"** Brick pursed his lips. **"It would make sense for them to reside in a bustling city like the big apple-"**

 **"Where everything is within their grasp,"** Boomer finished. His fingers brushed against the blue ribbon.

 **"So what are you trying to tell us?"** Butch questioned, his eyes diverting to his female manager.

The woman drew in a long breath and placed her palms flat against the table, leaning against the edge. In a hushed voice, she responded,

**"We need someone to take this case. And to take it _seriously_. It's gone cold for a while ever since our fifth agent went _missing_ trying to crack it. But after what happened with Jonathan, the CIA simply can't sweep this under the rug. I have a feeling that his death- it's only just the beginning of their grand fiasco."**

The brothers glanced at one another, communicating silently with a small nod.

Frances smirked, **"It's time to put these criminals behind bars. And what better way to do that than to send the CIA's top three agents."**

 **"We'll take it,"** Brick stood up, his hand extended out as Frances returned with a firm handshake.

**"Good to hear. We'll be counting on you now boys."**

Butch let out an exasperated sigh as Frances returned to her office behind her door.

**"Don't you always."**


	2. Dancing with the Devil

**Chapter 2: Dancing with the Devil**

The echo of the punctured roof reverberated through the silent room as water trickled from the tattered ceiling and onto the slate floor. The girl with blonde pigtails leaned against the marble counter, gazing soundlessly into the mirror hung before her. Her blues orbs flickered between herself and the leaking pipe before she dropped her gaze and let an exasperated sigh tumble out her chapped lips.

**"God Blossom, do we _seriously_ have to do this?"**

Her gaze shifted to the red-headed woman that laid slump on the torn leather sofa, her long hair pinned into an elaborate bun. She wore an embellished dress that reached her ankles including a slit that ran up to her mid-thigh. Blossom's attention veered to the blonde, her pink eyes averted from her perfectly painted nails to her sister.

 **"Bubbles, I thought we went over this,"** Blossom frowned, her tips tugging downwards as Bubbles winced.

**"I know, _I know_ , but-"** **  
**

**"We swore to eliminate everyone that was a threat to us,"** the green-eyed girl grumbled as she fired a punch at the dummy. The figure shuddered, rolled, and collapsed with a hard thud.

 **"We've had more than enough blood on our hands and you know that Goldie,"** the raven-haired girl let out a deep breath, cracking her knuckles that were bound in secure bandages. 

**"So what's more going to hurt?"**

_'All of us. Everyone. We've turned into the same monster that we vowed we wouldn't become. We've become our dad. All three of us.'_

Bubbles squeezed her eyes shut as she felt a cold hand on her exposed shoulder.

God she felt so sick.

**"Buttercup-"**

**"Bubbles,"** Blossom spoke softly, tucking a long strand of hair behind her sister's ear and running her free hand through the blonde locks.

**"Once it's over, it's over. But now, just think of it like every other mission."**

Buttercup set her calloused fingers on Bubble's shoulder, her glare subsiding and her stare softened. **  
**

**"This is our life. This is all we know."**

Bubble's eyes lowered and her bottom lip quivered. She drew in a long shaky breath before her grip on the table tightened, her knuckles turning white with stress.

 **"I understand,"** she whispered. " **Long live _The Caligo."_**

She felt like she was going to puke.

-

 **"Jesus Christ, they have files on everyone but the one we need,"** Butch muttered under his breath, his eyebrows knitting in frustration. He continued to flip through the cabinet of paper folders, his fingers separating the thick papers and his eyes browsing the records.

 **"Damn, these Caligo people sure are good,"** Boomer grunted as his fingers flew rapidly across the keyboard, his vision darting swiftly through the ocean of code.

 **"But not good enough,"** Brick pulled a portfolio out of the closet, his hand whisking off the dust from the folder. He placed it on top of the small pile that laid neatly next to Boomer's laptop.

The blonde's concentration switched from the screen of code to Brick and Butch strolled towards his red-headed brother, loosely clutching a file of his own.

Brick leaned over and propped himself up on the table, surveying the collection of profiles as he scattered them out on the wooden table. His fingers reached over to a tattered folder.

 **"Joseph Adams,"** Brick scanned the profile. **"Born July, 26th 1993. Arrested for sexual and battery assault. Served ten years in prison but made a bold escape five years in."**

 **"He was never found,"** Butch shrugged as he peered over Brick's shoulder, studying the papers. **"Seems like the person who would join some mafia-like The Caligo to save his own ass."**

 **"How about this?"** Butch suggested, handing over his own brown folder.

Brick opened it, his hand brushing against the smooth paper.

 **"Triplets?"** Brick narrowed his eyes. **"What does this-"**

 **"Just look at it,"** Boomer insisted. He rested his cheek against his palm.

**"The Utonium Sisters, Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup."**

Butch rubbed the nape of his neck, **"I just thought their back story was interesting."**

**"Blossom Utonium. Eldest triplet, strawberry blonde hair, and pink eyes. Bubbles Utonium. Youngest triplet, blonde, and blue eyes. Buttercup Utonium. Black hair and green eyes, the middle child.**

**"The three were both sexually and physically abused by their biological father, Antonio Utonium, an organic scientist. In 2004, Professor Utonium was found dead in his home located in Manhattan, New York. His three daughters could not be found on the scene and they have been missing ever since. The public has now presumed them dead, although, no bodies have been found or recovered."**

Boomer drew in a sharp breath as he turned his chair back to his computer screen, **"damn that's- really something. And pink eyes? I don't think I've ever met someone with those eyes."**

Butch pursed his lips, **"Yeah and you keep forgetting our own brother has red eyes. It just looked interesting, I guess. You know, Caligo Red, Blue, and Green? This may be far-fetched but their aliases correlate directly with their eye color."**

Brick remained silent, rendering the Utonium profile over and over again, his brain working to piece two and piece together.

_'No bodies discovered and still assumed dead? Not something the CIA would do.'_

**"I'll keep an eye on this, don't worry,"** Brick said, his eyes still glued to the documents.

**"We're not leaving this room until we've searched through every one of these shelves."**

Butch groaned as Boomer resumed his typing.

-

**"Just a Dry Martini, please."**

Brick sighed as he hunched over the counter as the bartender disappeared behind the bar.

Bars and parties weren't exactly Brick's thing but rather a favorite pass time to his sex-obsessed dark-haired brother. The pounding dance music never appealed to him and the hot chicks who searched for a good time never got any from Brick.

He stroked his temples as the bartender slid his drink in front of him. Brick stirred the liquid with the tiny straw as he watched the contents swirl around the glass, the fancy lemon fastened to the side.

He was never the guy who drank alcohol, but he needed something to let loose on.

Something that would get his mind off the case.

He brought the glass up to his lips, letting the contents burn down his throat, relief washing over his body like a tidal wave.

**"Hey, you look new."**

Brick turned, finding himself face to face with a pale-skinned girl, wearing a loose black dress and her orange hair tied into a high ponytail.

Brick chuckled, putting down his cup.

**"Nah, I just don't come here often. My brother's quite the party animal."**

The girl laughed, her nose scrunching up.

**"Same with mine. She made me dance with her on the dance floor and it took me forever to find my way out."**

Brick paused as he took in a raspy gulp before taking another sip of his beverage.

 **"You look stressed,"** the woman pointed out. Brick gazed up at her and shot her a faint smile.

**"Uh, yeah I guess. Just work and stuff. Partially the reason why I came here with my brothers."**

She nodded, giving him a look of pity.

**"Surprisingly enough, you're not alone. I've been quite stressed myself living in such a busy city."**

Brick waited as she checked her watch, her lip slightly curling up.

 **"You heard about what happened with the CIA?"** she asked. This made Brick arch a brow, the grip on the cup faltered.

**_"CIA?"_ **

**"Yeah,"** she glanced at the wine bottles that littered the wall in front of them, her long ponytail swaying behind her.

**"Turns out some boss from the CIA got assassinated by that pack The Caligo. Pretty scary if you ask me- to target someone from such a prestigious organization I mean."**

**"How do you know this?"** Brick's eyes narrowed in suspicion. He thought Frances had kept it from the media.

The girl only shrugged, giving him a shrewd smile.

**"It was all over the _New York Times_ this morning. It had me terrified to take the Metro to work."**

Silence fell on the two like a cloud of thick fog. His brain racked around the information as his hands clasped together.

 **"I've heard quite a few rumors about them,"** the red-haired woman smiled nervously, the sides of her pink eyes wrinkling up.

**"How they kill whoever poses a threat to them and their gang. They know their way around people and they especially know how to play their cards."**

_'Wait a minute,'_ Brick took a glimpse at the girl as she flashed the bartender a cheeky grin, thanking him for the drink.

_'Pink eyes.'_

**"If I were you, I would be careful,"** she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she took a gulp from her drink.

**"They play a hell lot of mind games. To the point where you won't be able to differentiate their twisted game from reality."**

Brick opened his mouth to reply, but the pink-eyed female hopped off her stool, leaving her cup of half drank liquor on the counter.

 **"Anyways, it was nice talking to you,"** she beamed at him, her bold red lips cracked open to show her white teeth.

**"I gotta get back to my sister. If she found out I left her, she'd freak. Be careful out there."**

Her last few words made him shudder, the sentence sticking with him the entire night.

**"Don't fall for their tricks, _Brick_."**

How'd she known his name?

 **"Where have you been all this time, _Blossom_?"** Brick whispered as he watched her figure disappear within the crowd.

-

Cerulean blue eyes surveyed the array of dancing figures. She grimaced as she examined the people bumping their sweaty bodies into one another, hips swaying to the rhythm of the club music.

 _'How does Buttercup manage to last an hour in that thing,'_ Bubbles mentally gagged.

She continued to watch, her orbs flashing right and left as she combed through the crowd until her vision landed on a particular dirty blonde sagging against the wall.

_'He's alone.'_

Bubbles dipped her head as she roamed over to the empty wall where the man stood.

 **"Shouldn't a pretty boy like you be out there having fun?"** Bubbles beamed, a shy smile spreading across her face as she stood beside the blonde. His attention stirred, his head veering towards the speaker.

 **"Eh, I attract too many girls for my own good,"** he grinned back, his tousled bronze hair falling in front of his eyes. He brushed it back, stretching his arm out.

**"I'm Boomer by the way."**

Bubbles slipped her petite hand in his, reflecting the handshake.

 **"Well aren't you quite formal in a place like this,"** Bubbles joked. **"Nice to meet you Boomer."**

**"So why is such a pretty girl like you alone on this Friday night?"**

Bubbles rolled her eyes, clicking her tongue. The colorful lights flashed, casting its vivid radiance on the two.

 **"Just here with my sisters,"** Bubbles replied. Her eyes met Buttercup's as her dark-haired sister shot her a wink.

**"Besides, I've been trying to get my mind off a rocky breakup."**

He chuckled beside her, his deep voice rung against the blaring music.

**"Guess we're in the same boat, huh. Getting our mind off something I mean."**

Bubbles arched a brow as she cocked her head towards him in curiosity.

**"As in?"**

Boomer looked back at the girl, his gaze trailing from her golden blonde hair and down to her radiant blue eyes.

**"It's about some stupid underground gang but it's really not your busi-"**

**_"The Caligo?"_ **

Boomer scrunched his nose as he watched the blonde stare back at him, her gaze innocent and unmoved.

 **"The Caligo, right?"** she repeated. The male somewhat cringed. He had heard that name enough times from Brick's never-ending theories.

 **"Underground gang, a bunch of low life pimps and plugs. Sounds like The Caligo to me,"** Bubbles crossed her arms across her chest, breaking eye contact as she searched the vicinity for her red-headed sister. She found her talking to her own target.

Boomer sighed, his fingers slipped into his front two pockets as his thumbs hooked the belt loops of his jeans.

 **"Uh, yeah,"** he smiled wearily. **"You seem very confident just throwing around the name. They _are_ the most feared mafia in the world, you know."**

 _They're nothing but a bunch of messed up kids_ she wanted to say, but Bubbles bit her tongue as she simply shrugged, a half-hearted smile plastered over her soft, baby-like features.

**" _So_? What are they going to do? Come and _kill me?_ They only go for those who are a _genuine_ threat, not weak little girls who like to shit talk them.**

**" _Besides_ , I believe that everyone has a reason for doing the things they do and in all honesty, they might not be the monsters everyone portrays them to be."**

**"You're insane,"** Boomer snorted.

 **"Interpret it any way you want Boomer,"** Bubbles pursed her lips as the lights of the club dimmed into a rich pink, the crappy rap music slowly fading into a slow dance.

**"But I wouldn't believe everything that's shown on T.V, especially if you haven't experienced it yourself."**

She let out a long breath of air as she lowered her face, blinking steadily.

**"I think an important man like you should understand that by now."**

**"What-"**

**"Anyways, I've been talking too much,"** Bubbles pulled a pair of keys out her back pocket, the chains jingling as metal clashed against metal.

 **"I should go,"** Bubbles laughed casually. **"It's been a long night."**

She whirled around, her pigtails flying behind her as she flipped her hair out of her face.

**"Wait! I never got your name!"**

She continued to walk as her eye twitched and the grip on her keys tightened.

 **"Don't worry Boomer,"** Bubbles shouted back.

**"You'll find out soon enough."**

-

The raven-haired female strutted to the platform, the booming music pulsated in her ears and the lively lights cast down on her. She smirked as she felt lustful eyes on her athletic build, swaying her hips teasingly and running her tongue over her bottom lip.

Buttercup flipped her long black hair, smiling gracefully at the various wolf whistles and the catcalls.

 _'Everyone here either stinks or is astonishingly horny,'_ Buttercup waved, her fingers fluttering flirtily. She refrained from choking on the shameful smell of sweat and sex.

She lifted her arms, allowing the music to consume her whole and moving her body with the crowd. Buttercup's lips curled into a smile as adrenaline ran over her body, but her eyes remained alert and attentive, studying the mass of people as she passed through the ramming dancers.

Finally, her concentration was drawn to a dark-haired male, his green-eyes radiating under the fluorescent lights.

 _'Too damn easy and too damn predictable,'_ Buttercup shifted towards the man as her slender fingers combed through her hair.

 **"Having fun Butch?"** Buttercup bit her lip as she reached the raven-haired fellow, her hips mending into his.

**"You sure look like you're enjoying yourself."**

Butch shot her a wry grin. His cheeks were flushed from the heat of the dance floor and a drop of sweat trickled down the side of his head.

**"And you know my name? From where?"**

Buttercup proceeded to bounce with the beat of the rap song, her locks clinging to her face as she began to sweat, blood rushing up to her neck and ears.

 **"Heard you were the life of the party,"** she placed a limp hand on his shoulder as Butch loosely gripped her sides.

He laughed, his soft dimples contrasting his sharp features.

**"What can I say? They don't call me a party animal without a reason."**

Butch slicked his hair back. **"And _your_ name is?"**

Buttercup shook her head lightly, a sly simper playing across her pink lips.

**"Figure it out yourself."**

This made the male chuckle, his eyebrows cocked upward.

**"Playing hard to get huh?"**

**"Don't flatter yourself. I _am_ hard to get."**

Buttercup giggled with amusement as she noticed Butch gape at her answer. Her eyes shifted behind his broad shoulder, finding her blonde sister on the side before shooting her a quick wink.

 **"What?"** Buttercup teased, wiggling a finger in front of his eyes.

**" _Cat's got your tongue_?"**

**"Who did you wink at?"** he asked, his hair fell back into his face as he stroked it back, completely dismissing the girl's remark.

**"None of your concern."**

**"I wouldn't be surprised if you had admirers."**

**"I wouldn't be either,"** she stated casually. Butch smirked at the snarky comment.

 **"You know,"** Butch said. **"This is the first time some girl _hasn't_ been head over heels in love with me."**

He found her so intriguing.

Buttercup rolled her eyes, **"It's because you're so-"**

 **"What?"** he wagged his eyebrows. **"Charming? Irresistible? _Incredibly alluring_?"**

 **"-annoying,"** the girl asserted bluntly.

Butch gazed into her green orbs as the lights faded into a romantic pink and the music evaporated into a slow song.

 **"C'mon,"** Butch prodded as their movement relaxed along with the cadence.

**"What's your name? Alyssa? Bianca? _Jessie_?"**

**"It starts with a B smartass."**

**" _Beatrice_? _Basil_?"**

Buttercup scoffed, **"who the hell names their kid _Basil_? Lame ass name."**

Butch shrugged, grinning ear to ear. His hands roamed up and down her sides.

**"I don't know. A lot of people."**

**"Just call me Green."**

**" _Green_?"** Butch chortled. **"Now that's a lame ass name."**

She flashed him a playful glare, lightly punching his arm.

**"Yeah, and like Butch isn't."**

**"Hey!"** he protested, pouting. **"It's _normal_."**

 **"Besides,"** Butch bent down at the girl, his mouth inches from her ear.

**"How am I going to brag about the fact that I danced with a beauty like you if you won't even tell me your name?"**

Buttercup shoved him away, her palm resting against his chest. She looked him up and down as his eyes widened with surprise and his hands fell from her waist.

**"Tell them you danced with the devil."**

With a sultry wink, Buttercup swaggered away, leaving the dumbfounded male alone on the dance floor.


	3. Planting Flowers in Graveyards

**Chapter 3: Planting Flowers in Graveyards**

Brick couldn't understand.

He examined the garments that dispersed across the table in front of him. The bulb lit down on the colored pieces of thread, generating a glow that illuminated back at him, almost taunting him.

The tawny man sank back into his seat, almost huffing with sheer frustration. His forehead wrinkled up, indicating that he was in deep thought, the bits of string swirling in his mind like a flame that just kept getting stronger and stronger.

**"Don't fall for their tricks, _Brick_ ." **

Brick groaned, placing his arm over his eyes. What did she mean? How'd she known his name?

Was that woman Blossom?

**_Brick._ **

**_Brick._ **

**_Brick._ **

**_"Brick,"_ ** Butch snapped his fingers in front of his brother, breaking Brick's train of thought. He withdrew his arm, forcing eye contact with the faces of a concerned Boomer and an annoyed Butch.

 **"Dude, you okay?"** Butch frowned. **"You've been acting all weird since a few days ago."**

 **"You know, you look like you haven't gotten any sleep,"** Boomer added, his lips pressing into a thin line. 

**"If you always crumple up your forehead like that, you'll have wrinkles in the future."**

Butch snickered as Brick glared at him before his eyes lowered back down at the table.

 **"If this damn job didn't give me nearly as much stress, I wouldn't look five years older than I already am,"** Brick muttered.

Boomer sighed as his elbows rested against his knees.

 **"So what does this mean?"** Boomer asked. 

**"We've done a DNA test and found _nothing_ . Not to mention, we've been staring at this shit for _hours_ goddamit." **

In front of the boys laid three silk ribbons colored red, blue, and green. The familiar baby blue fabric made Boomer tremor, reminding him of the form of Jonathan's lifeless body. 

Which only meant the other two were from none other than The Green and Red Caligo.

 **"This means that they're trying to tell us something,"** Butch pinched the green ribbon between his thumb and forefinger as if any harsh movement would rip the delicate object in half.

**"We found this tied to the door handle of our car. _Our car Boomer_ . If that doesn't say danger! Danger! We're coming for you, I don't know what else it could be." **

**"It's like they know we're trying to find them,"** Boomer murmured under his breath. 

**"But they're one step ahead of us."**

Brick hunched forward, massaging the sides of his head.

For the first time, the almightly genius Brick Jojo was stuck.

Absolutely stuck.

It seemed like The Caligo had pinned them everywhere they went. Like they had pairs of hidden eyes running throughout New York.

 **"There's no fucking way,"** Brick felt his mouth go dry. **"There's no way in hell they knew that we were there."**

 **"Then how do you explain the frilly ribbons Brick!"** Butch exclaimed, throwing his hands above his head. **"We all know who leaves _silk ribbons_ for their _victims_ . God Brick and I thought _you_ were the smart one of this group. They're coming for _us_ . Just like they went for everyone else that agreed to take in the stupid case." **

**"We aren't hunting them down,"** Boomer agreed, slightly nodding as he thought intently. 

**"More like they're hunting _us_ down." **

Brick's attention wavered between the ribbons and the chilling words from Friday night. Her pink eyes pierced through his consciousness like an arrow, cutting through his thoughts and hours worth of sleep.

 **"Say,"** Brick looked up, meeting his brother's gaze. They arched a brow. 

**"Did you talk to any girls? Friday night- did you talk to any girls? And did they mention anything about The Caligo?"**

Boomer and Butch exchanged looks of confusion, then converted back to their red-headed brother.

 **"There was this one girl,"** Brick stood up, the chair spurted back, scraping against the smooth wood. 

**"She talked to me that night, Jesus Christ-"**

**"Brick, we're not here to discuss your love life-"**

**"No, not that you idiot,"** Brick hissed, shooting daggers at his dark-haired brother.

**"She started talking to me about _The Caligo_ . I _never_ brought it up, _hell_ I never said anything about them but - _but she just_ \- she just started _talking_ about them. How they'll fuck with your mind and-" **

Brick started to pace around, his clammy hands rubbing against the sides of his shirt.

 **"She knew my name,"** Brick snapped. **"I never told her my name goddammit and I didn't know her. Something was _off_ about her. Her eyes- they were _pink_ ." **

Boomer pursed his lips, **"what are you saying? That you think she's possibly one of those sisters? Uranium? Plutonium?"**

 **_"Utonium,"_ ** Brick corrected, stopping to look at the blonde before resuming his anxious pacing. **"And _yes_ , that is a possibility. I've never met anyone with eyes like hers. Hell, I think that the Blossom girl is the only one with that eye color. **

**"She's likely alive,"** Brick explained. **"Along with her sisters too."**

Butch sighed, **"it does kind of- make sense I suppose. Their bodies were never found either, meaning that there's a likelihood that they are indeed alive."**

 **"I-"** Boomer began, but hesitated, closing his mouth shut.

**"I remember talking to this girl that resembled Bubbles. But I can't imagine how many other girls have blonde hair and blue eyes. She never told me her name, saying something along the lines of _'you'll find out soon enough.'_ **

**"I can't remember but she did mention something about The Caligo. It was... _interesting_ ." **

Butch furrowed his brows, recollecting the remnants of his memory of Friday night. He tried to think past the loud music and the congested dance floor.

 **"She wouldn't tell me her name,"** Butch frowned. **"Black hair and green eyes. _Smoking hot_ may I add. She refused to tell me her name when I asked but insisted that I call her _Green_ -" **

**_"The Green Caligo,"_ **Brick muttered, loud enough for his brothers to hear.

**"Could it be a coincidence that we all talked to a girl that resembled one of the Utonium sisters?"**

**"That doesn't explain the fact that every one of those girls had some connection with The Caligo,"** Brick licked his lips, sitting back into his chair and resting his chin on the back of his hands. 

**"Blossom and that blonde mentioning the gang in each of our conversations and that girl Butch talked to calling herself Green- like The Green Caligo."**

**"I think you're overthinking it."**

**"No, it's called piecing clues together Butch,"** Brick growled.

 **"It adds up,"** Boomer admitted, shrugging. **"And the ribbon tied to our car? You said it yourself, Butch. This is too much to just be a coincidence. Someone from the mafia is after us, if not the leaders themselves."**

**"So are you saying those Utonium sisters are them?"**

Brick paused for a while, the long period of silence dragging on between the three.

 **"I wouldn't jump to a conclusion like that, although it does make some sense. Good to see you're using the brain under all that mane that you call hair,"** Brick said, earning a scowl from Butch. He smirked. **"We can conclude that The Caligo was most definitely there at the club with us. The Utonium sisters, on the other hand, they may be associated with the gang or were just making conversation on the topic. After all, Jonathan's death is all over New York."**

Boomer shuffled uncomfortably in his seat as Butch groaned, throwing his head back.

 **"I meet a banging girl and it turns out she could be a fucking mafia leader?"** Butch pouted, puffing his cheeks out in annoyance.

**"What shit luck."**

Boomer chuckled, patting his brother's back.

**"If it makes you feel better, I haven't dated since we graduated."**

**"That's because you're a virgin."**

**"Hey!"**

Brick had a feeling that it wouldn't be the last time he saw those pink eyes.

-

The fine scratch of charcoal grinding against paper could be heard as Blossom frantically scrawled arrows on the wide notebook that was on the brink of tearing, her eyes glimmering with excitement and the wheels in her mind churning rapidly. 

Bubbles didn't bother to spare her older sister a glance as she weaved her hair, watching Buttercup tend her new earn wound. The green-eyed girl winced, as she felt a jolt of pain rush up from her ankle to her kneecap. The sense of shock mingled with her pride as Buttercup had to refrain from kicking back and admiring the fresh blood that painted the bandage bright red. 

_'A new battle scar to relish.'_

Blossom continued her scheming, her fingers darting across the paper, and the pencil gliding smoothly as her 'perfect plan' oozed out every pore of the girl. She had never prided herself on being the intellects of the group. Her sisters weren't necessarily dumb, no. But they were certainly happy to leave all the brainstorming to their geeky companion.

Blossom was the mind, Bubbles was the joy and laughter, and Buttercup was the body. Together, they became one complete person.

Blossom dropped the pencil and a deep sigh escaped her lips, not even realizing she had been holding her breath through her intense deliberate session. Her sisters waltzed from their sofa to the desk, where a large piece of notebook paper was spread before them, covered in footnotes and disordered lines that Bubbles presumed were indicators.

Either way, Buttercup and Bubbles never understood what went on in the head of Miss Kid Genius of their group.

 **_"So, Pinkie?"_ ** Buttercup plopped down on the stool next to Blossom, popping her gum. 

**"Buttercup I told you to stop calling me that,"** Blossom scolded, throwing her a snarky glare with no bite. Bubbles only stared down at the paper, her half braided hair held intact with her delicate fingers.

 **"I think this might out-do our last plan if I say so myself,"** Blossom beamed proudly as she leaned back as if she were showcasing a rare specimen. Buttercup cocked a brow at her as her eyes surveyed the writing.

 **"So they say smarter people have messier handwriting,"** Buttercup grumbled under her breath.

Blossom elbowed the raven-haired girl only to get a tougher elbow in return. She rolled her eyes, playfully holding up both her hands as if she were surrendering.

 **"We've been approaching this the wrong way,"** Blossom explained. **"You see, I know we all agreed to target them from afar, slowly providing each boy hints, enabling them to piece two and two together.**

**"Although this has worked several other times, these Jojo Brothers are nothing to underestimate. Our original plan will inevitably end in our downfall, as we'll mistakenly give too much of our identity away."**

Blossom gestured to the notes she had hastily scribbled on the side of the paper.

_Butch, Brick, Boomer. CIA._

_Get closer._

_Frame._

_The heart of their cause._

_Strike._

**"What are you proposing?"** Bubbles frowned. **"That we should just finish them off? Blossom-"**

 **"She's not stupid Bubbles,"** Buttercup yawned, blowing a bubble with her pink gum.

**"No, what I'm saying is we ease up to them. Gain their trust with a pity party and send them on a wild goose chase. The CIA is the heart of their cause and everything they stand for. What better way than to use it against them, corner them to a dead-end, and strike."**

Blossom could be unforgiving if she wanted to.

Buttercup picked the gunk out her nails as Bubbles pressed her lips into a fine line.

 **"Don't you think,"** Bubbles hesitated. **"That's quite impossible? No one knows who we are Blossom. No one knows we're alive. Hell, what would they think if a bunch of-"**

 **"And you think they haven't figured us out from the night at the bar?"** Blossom gulped.

**"I'm quite certain Brick has already pieced two and two together from the unique color of my eyes, concluding that I'm Blossom."**

Buttercup's nail picking came to a halt as she jolted out of her seat.

 **"Wait a damn minute,"** Buttercup gaped at Blossom in disbelief.

**"He- Brick- He knows? Bloss, don't tell me- don't tell me what I think you're going to say."**

Blossom nodded her head lightly, sighing. Buttercup wanted to punch something.

 **"This is too risky,"** Buttercup hissed. **_"What the hell are you doing?"_ **

**"My job, Buttercup!"** Blossom stood up, the sides of her mouth tugging downward into a scowl.

 **"Well, you're not doing it very well! You're putting us in jeopardy."** Buttercup shouted. She could feel the smoke nearly seeping out both her ears. Bubbles remained glued to her spot, clasping her hands together as the two began to bicker.

It had always been a sensitive topic for the three.

 **" _Jesus Christ Buttercup!_ Stop acting like you're five," ** Blossom chided, taking a step towards the furious girl.

**"Well this is going _too far_ Bloss, you've crossed a line that we promised we would never cross." **

**"We're _twenty-three_ now Buttercup," ** Blossom glared. **"It's time for you to grow the fuck up!"**

It was Buttercup's turn to glare, her fists clenching together at her sides.

 **"Oh, believe me, Blossom, all three of us had to grow up a lot faster than we wanted to,"** Buttercup barked back. **"The Utonium sisters are _dead and gon_ e and I'd like it to stay that way." **

**"Not anymore.**

**The Utoniums are back and very much alive."**

-

Buttercup was never the type to be forced into something she didn't want to do.

Otherwise, she'd comply out of her own free will.

It was a rule. It had always been one since they were young.

You can push Buttercup to the edge, but never over it.

But somehow, despite Buttercup's hot temper and their heated dispute, Leader Girl's plan was the only exception to that rule.

Buttercup expected herself to feel pissed, or remotely _betrayed_ when her bossy sister had informed both her and Bubbles that they were to pose as the Utonium sisters in order to obtain the trust of the Jojo Brothers.

Not that they _weren't_ the Utonium sisters.

But all three girls had buried that identity years ago and Buttercup was more than delighted to keep it that way.

She wanted the fourteen-year-old Buttercup Utonium to remain in her casket, immersed six feet under the earth's surface.

And to think the art of fraud was supposed to be Bubble's responsibility.

She would never admit it but Buttercup felt adamant, just like her blonde sister. They had been going at this for years, being forced to grow up so quickly and Blossom essentially taking on the role of their mother. Buttercup grimaced at the memories that tried to resurface from the cavern where her darkest demons slept, but she vigorously pushed them back behind that forsaken gateway and making sure she locked the door behind her.

The skeletons in her closet stayed in her closet.

She and her sisters have never targetted three people at a time. It didn't seem nearly as wild as her other stunts, but they didn't kill nearly as much as Buttercup stole. Her subconscious told her _'no! No! It wasn't worth it!'_ but the ebony beauty brushed it away every time the little voice wormed its way into her train of thoughts.

But God, this was the first time Buttercup _out of all people_ ached to hold up a white flag and tap out.

So why was she still going through with it?

Maybe it was because she loved her sisters too much to let them down. After all, they were all Buttercup had. Her only family, friends, and the only people she had learned to _love_.

Or maybe it was because there was no life she knew outside of their little gang. What would she have left if one of them chose to surrender? Would the empire they had built from their rage and terror come crashing down on them? These uneasy possibilities reminded her of the night their father took his last breath. The night where we laid dead in their multicolored bedroom with a knife dug deep into his heart.

The night of their first murder.

Or maybe it was because she had wanted to see those forest green eyes again.

Buttercup shook her head lightly, waving away the thought that buzzed around her like an annoying fly. What she needed to focus on was kick-starting Blossom's wild plan of deception. Her gait hindered and her pace slowed as she followed the small hand on her watch tick by.

_'Almost time.'_

Her computer geek sister Bubbles had managed to accumulate crucial information on the boys, particularly Butch, Buttercup's target. Apparently, the raven-haired boy made a pit stop by the Ground Support Cafe located in Soho every Wednesday around two to three PM.

_'It's almost as if this boy had a dartboard cemented on his back.'_

It was two-thirty before she spotted her spiky-haired victim hop off his polished motorcycle and into the fancy coffee shop. 

_'Bingo.'_

Buttercup fixed her biker jacket, smoothing over the non-existent wrinkles before she stepped towards the vintage cafe, sweeping her hair behind her shoulder blade. Her hand rested on the cool handle, yanking the sleek door open as the fragrance of caffeine and cocoa beans flooded her nose. Strolling to the counter, Buttercup ordered her regular iced macchiato and uttered a small _'thank you'_ to the barista after taking the small cup in hand. Her green orbs browsed the area before she easily located a lean boy who relaxed by the window, absorbed in the world that existed on the other side of the glass.

His concentration discontinued as he heard a chair screech, it's metal legs scraping against the wooden floorboards. He looked up, facing the woman that occupied the seat across from his small, round table. A smile accompanied his lips as his eyes sparked in recognition.

**_"Green."_ **

**_"Butch,"_ ** she greeted, cracking a broad smile.

 **"I don't suppose you come here very often,"** Butch intertwined his fingers as his elbows rested on the surface of the table. His cookie laid on a clean napkin, untouched.

**"I've never seen you around."**

Buttercup only shrugged, taking another gulp of her coffee. Butch watched as the brown liquid ran up the clear, plastic straw.

 **"It's my first time here,"** Buttercup answered calmly. **"People usually don't find me in Soho."**

Butch chuckled, **"well what brings you here? It's a damn remarkable coincidence having you drop by during my regular time."**

 **"What made you think it was a coincidence?"** Buttercup grinned innocently, taking in another sip of the bitter beverage. 

**"What if I wanted to see you again?"**

Butch blinked. Noticing his bewildered expression, the girl laughed to herself, the gentle giggle blending with the mellow piano that played throughout the cafe. 

**"I'm just joking. Don't get your panties all up in a fucking twist. I'm not some sort of stalker."**

**"I mean, who said I didn't want a gorgeous chick like you to hop on my dick?"**

**"So you wanted to know my name?"**

Butch's breathing hitched as his heart began to pick up in speed. Who was she to pop up on a _Wednesday afternoon_ after he had grown so smitten after _one dance?_ Hell Butch had thought he'd never see her again.

This was the same feeling he had felt Friday night.

Butch wanted to make sure he was hearing right. 

**"What?"** he gasped out.

The girl only stuck a tongue out in response.

**"I said, you wanted to know my name? _Right_ ? Or would you-" **

**"No, no, _no_ ," ** Butch blurted out, shaking his hand slightly.

**"I- _yeah_ . Yeah, your name. I don't- _yes_ ." **

Buttercup rolled her eyes as she swished the iced coffee, her wrist spinning in circles.

**"You're acting like this is your first time talking to a girl."**

**"Yeah, a _pretty one_ ." **

Buttercup's lime green eyes peered into his dark ones. She felt her heart jammed at her throat.

Not because of the piercing green eyes that anticipated her answer.

Not because she had found herself caught in a staring contest with a guy she found remotely attractive.

But because for the first time in a while, the Toughest Fighter of the most feared mafia was _scared_.

Sure she had heard her name come out of her sister's mouths plenty of times.

And sure she still went by the cursed signature.

But to choke out something that had haunted her for years- 

To call herself the same fragile flower that had been ripped out from the earth by its roots-

This was the bravest thing she'd done.

**"Buttercup. _Buttercup Utonium._ " **

Brick had been right.


	4. Game of Deception

**Chapter 4: Game of Deception**

Her flawlessly calculated plan was playing out just as she had anticipated.

They had fallen right into their trap, plunging right through a thin blanket of camouflaged leaves and into a hole that was nearly impossible to climb out of.

Best in the business her ass.

 **'I knew I could count on you Buttercup,'** Blossom mentally noted. Soon after receiving Buttercup's alert, she and Bubbles had found themselves arriving at a single house, their brick walls mix-matching horribly with the yellow tiled roof. The home had already seemed like chaos with the colors that battled against one another.

* * *

**"I sent my location. Took a little explanation for the nitwit to crack,"** Blossom clamped her cell in between her shoulderblade and her cheek, her hands scrawling in a record full of drug receipts as she listened to her sister over the line. She counted under her breath, the tips of her fingers trailing down the lengthy list as she grinned with satisfaction.

Failure was a hefty burden that she and her sisters did not intend to carry.

And the heist master of New York City surely did not disappoint.

 **"Make sure Bubbles erases it. Can't let Golden Boy find out what we're up to,"** Buttercup spoke quietly, her voice a hushed murmur.

Blossom rolled her eyes, clucking her tongue as she tucked the journal in the lining of her jacket.

Her clients could wait.

 **"Yeah** _ **yeah**_ **,"** Blossom flicked her hand in the air as if she were shooing away a pesky dog.

 **"Try not to pick a fight, please. We all know how bad your temper is."** It came out more like a command rather than a request.

**"I quite like the red one's face. It's cute."**

Before the redhead pressed the red button to end the call, she brought the phone back to her ear. Ambition sparked bright, like a ravenous flame fighting against pouring rain.

**"Oh and Buttercup."**

**"Mhm?"**

**"Bring me something valuable while you're at it."**

**"Already did."**

* * *

**"Is this all a sick joke?"**

A rattled breath escaped Buttercup's lips as her eyes hardened against the stunned stupor of the raven-haired boy. His eyebrows arched upwards and his mouth was slightly agape.

_'They're a smart bunch huh.'_

**"Does it look like I'm laughing?"** Buttercup snarled. A small portion of her teeth peeked through her cracked lips.

 **"Utonium huh?"** Butch scoffed, recovering from his state of shock. His cookie rested unscathed on the tissue. The news was already too much to stomach, even for the Baron of Berserk.

**"And what are you doing spitting around that name? News spreads around here like wildfire. Aren't you suppose to be in-"**

_**"It doesn't matter what I'm supposed to be doing Jojo,"**_ Buttercup retorted, flicking a minuscule crumb. Her leather jacket shuffled against itself, the glossy material squeaking as she sank gracefully into her chair.

**"I'm here to talk about what** _**you're** _ **doing."**

**"You're an expert in crime am I correct?"** Buttercup pursed her lips and held up a manicured hand as Butch opened his mouth to reply.

 **"Don't answer that. It was rhetorical. Long story short, my sisters and I need your help,"** Buttercup explained.

 **"And when I mean** _ **you**_ **,"** she pointed at his chest, then looped the air, her dark nails drawing a circle around Butch's face.

**"I mean** _**all of you.** _ **"**

**"What do you mean?"**

Buttercup tapped her finger against her chin as she laughed softly.

 **"There's only one idiot here and that's neither you** _ **or**_ **me. My sister and I need help catching a bunch of anonymous crooks who killed my father. So what better way to do it than to work with the best in the city. You** _ **are**_ **the best,** _ **right**_ **?"**

Buttercup sniggered inwardly as the corner of Butch's eye twitched in annoyance and his jaw clenched tightly. The boy was a horrible actor and he was even worse at hiding his emotions, something that was right up Buttercup's alley.

After all, she had been faking for as long as she could remember.

 **"Look, I'm sorry for what happened to your family but,"** Butch paused.

**"My brothers and I are already occupied with-"**

**"The Caligo?"** Buttercup inserted. **"Been there done that. Six heads are better than three brain-dead ones."**

_**"Why-"** _

**"Take me to your house before I tie you up and make you,"** Buttercup pursed her lips, pushing herself off the seat.

 **"We've got a discussion that doesn't serve for an audience.** "

**"And why should I trust you?"**

**"Because I know a lot more than you and your little study group."**

Buttercup smirked as she heard him mutter a string of curse words under his breath as he pulled his phone out from his corduroy jeans and sent a message. The two rose from their positions and Butch took the lead with the ebony-haired girl following gingerly behind him.

Her slim fingers- made perfectly for pickpocketing- slipped behind his pant pocket and plucked the prize out from the compartment. The pouch made no noise as it withdrew and landed inside the small opening of Buttercup's biker jacket. She refrained a wicked smile before catching up to Butch's large strides with her own small, agile steps.

**'A perfect gift for Bossy Blossy.'**

**"Call the others,"** Butch murmured as he climbed on his motorcycle.

**"I'm sure they're a lot more where you came from."**

**"Smart boy."**

* * *

Whoever had designed the interior of the Jojo home had deeply offended Blossom. The redhead grimaced as her pink eyes traced the atrocious navy blue curtains that draped down at the dining room. The thick cloth covered the sunlight well, reflecting the glare of the rays and casting a well-lit glow into the room. But efficiency wouldn't make up for the ugly design that covered itself on the fabric.

Then again, Blossom didn't live very luxuriously either.

The six sat at a long, rectangular wooden table across from each respective trio. The Utoniums remained on one side and the Jojos relaxed calmly on the other. Blossom set her hands on her lap as Buttercup rested her elbows on the armrests. Bubbles stayed quiet, her fingers intertwining with one another as her thumbs played a formal game of thumb war.

The long period of silence drew out between the six as the atmosphere grew more and more cumbersome. The clock on the wall ticked away like a time bomb and the silent hum of the air conditioning vents rumbled.

 **"Your drapes are outrageous,"** Buttercup deadpanned, her hand cupping her chin. She hissed as she felt Blossom's sharp elbow hit her ribcage, her sister flashing a strict glare.

But at least Blossom didn't stand alone with her opinion of the dreadful blinds.

 **"Why I must apologize for my sister's rude behavior,"** Blossom smiled through gritted teeth, breaking the tension. **"She has quite the mouth."**

She placed a hand at her chest before gesturing to her sides. **"I'm Blossom Utonium and these are my sisters Buttercup and Bubbles."**

Blossom waited before she continued.

**"I-uh. We're coming to you in hopes of gaining an ally. We've been going at this for years now and haven't been as successful as we anticipated."**

**"About The Caligo?"** Boomer asked, finally speaking. Blossom could hear Brick mutter something under his breath- something about him robbing his brother of his brain cells and intellect.

She was glad they both agreed on something.

 **"Yes,"** Blossom resumed **. "Let us explain. When we were fifteen, we found our father dead in the middle of the room. He had a knife sticking out from where his heart was. I'm assuming you already know the famous story. That night, Bubbles found these."**

The blonde girl searched through her purse before she plucked three pieces of cloth out from the bag. She slid them towards the center of the table, making the garments visible to everyone.

Butch had already seen this one too many times.

The colored silk laid there as everyone around the table observed quietly. The air turned cold as ice and Brick felt his heart plummet to his stomach.

 **"They were tied to our bedpost,"** Bubbles said.

**"If we didn't escape that night, I believe that we wouldn't be sitting here today."**

**"They're after us,"** Buttercup grumbled. **"Well, they** _ **were**_ **."**

 **"Where did you disappear to?"** Butch asked, his tone low and husky. **"You guys were dancing at a bar acting like the entire country doesn't think you're dead."**

 **"Well Mister Baron of Berserk,"** Buttercup replied as if answering a clueless child. **"We had to fend for ourselves. You know, fake names? Fake identities? We're a walking lie."**

**"Then how can we trust that you're not lying to us right now?"**

**"There's no reason to lie about something like this,"** Blossom placed her palms on the surface of the table, her fingers spreading across the smooth, crisp exterior. She felt the cool of the wood press against her warm and clammy hands.

**"Like I was** _**saying** _ **, we're working to tear down these crime lords that have torn us and our family apart. Who knows who they're targeting next."**

**"Our father inflicted irreversible damage to us,"** Bubbles sighed, her pigtails falling to her sides.

**"But he did not deserve to end in death. Especially at the hands of a fiend. No one does."**

Boomer frowned as he watched the blonde girl, her anxious eyes tracing the marbling of the wood.

 _ **"So?"**_ Butch asked. **"How'd you find us?"**

 **"Are you underestimating us?"** Buttercup countered.

**"Goldie did some quick research, hacked into some encrypted files, and found all of you. You think a fun night at the bar was unintentional?"**

**"That just makes you look suspicious as hell,"** Brick muttered.

 **"It makes us useful,"** Blossom snorted.

**"We have valuable information that I'm sure you'll want."**

Blossom pulled a medium-sized notepad from her pocket, the neat lines of the paper were pressed heavily with dark, messy ink. Brick squinted, his eyebrows scrunching together, trying to get a glimpse of the words that loomed over the pad before Blossom tossed the cardboard cover over the words.

 **"Let's make a deal,"** Buttercup blew a pink bubble of gum before she clenched down on the sticky sphere with her teeth, emitting a small ' _pop_.'

 **"A deal?"** Butch raised a brow.

 **"Like a contract,"** Blossom smiled as her fingers lingered across the notepad as if mocking the boys. Brick patted his thumb gently against his armrest.

**"Something to make it official so we know you won't bail on us."**

**"State your business,"** Boomer chimed in. Buttercup leaned forward, her choppy hair brushing against her cheek. Time seemed to have stopped and the ticking of the clock dwindled, evaporating into the atmosphere. Butch sucked in a breath of air through his teeth. Something about the flakes of gold that swirled in her green eyes made his stomach toss and turn like a restless, insomnia filled night.

 **"They don't give you such a high title at CIA without a reason,"** Buttercup bunched her lips to one side. Bubbles shuddered as she finally lifted her gaze, her eyes locking with another pair of blue ones, the color of the hottest fires.

 **"We'll show** _ **you**_ **what** _ **we've**_ **got,"** the dark-haired girl shifted her eyes from the green-eyed brother to the redhead, and lastly, the dirty blonde.

Determination dominated Blossom's pale eyes, a wolf closing in on its prey. A smirk crept up to the redhead's face as her hands retreated under the table and clenched tightly, her knuckles turning into a shocking white.

**"And** _**you'll** _ **show** _**them** _ **no mercy."**

* * *

The road was empty as the street lights began to flutter, illuminating light against the gray concrete and the setting sun that cast a faint hue of purple and orange across the sky. Boomer roamed down the sidewalk, his hands tucked away in his jacket as the late July heat faded into the pleasant breeze of the evening. The usual bounce in his step retired as his mind was weary and his heart weighed down on his shoulders as if he had swallowed a rock and the stone ceased to make it past his chest.

Boomer huffed out, blowing air into his cheeks. Everything was occurring too soon and much too fast. His brain felt like the scrambled eggs Butch had made an attempt at the last morning- shriveled, messy, and incredibly burnt. The lump at his throat hadn't passed like he hoped it would and the formerly cheerful Boomer seemed to have dissolved with the sun that rested after an arduous days work.

The blonde didn't know what to think and he sure as hell didn't know what to believe. Three girls who show up at their house proclaiming to be missing sisters from almost a decade ago seemed too improbable. Too dream-like. Too impossible.

Not to mention the black-haired one had the nerve to insult his curtains! They were not drabby or outrageous. It was his favorite shade of blue and the design conveyed an artful meaning.

Boomer wasn't the only one who found the whole ordeal quite sketchy. Brick and Butch were a bit unwilling to allying with three strangers who decide to just waltz up to them. It was like committing to a relationship on the first date.

It was foolish.

But despite their various doubts and uncertainties, they had all agreed, shaking hands and exchanging nervous smiles and phone numbers. Boomer couldn't help but feel nervous.

Their whole 'team' clashed. You see, Brick had a thing for authority, barking orders left and right but so did Blossom. Their short banters would inevitably eject into futile bickering over ultimate leadership and with two power-hungry individuals, it was like fighting against your own reflection except the mirror reflected flaming orange hair and a pair of striking rosy eyes. But their minds both complement and challenge one another and the gears that were screwed so tightly into their brain turned in the same direction at the same time. Brick was as calm and dangerous as the smoke that billowed from a blaze of sparks but Blossom was the fire that followed after the explosion.

Boomer chuckled as his mind wandered to his green-eyed brother and the raven-haired beauty he had grown so smitten with. His head spun to the glass windows of the shops as he passed by, one showing his clear reflection and another making him appear stout and disoriented- like he had just consumed something right out of Alice in Wonderland.

The Greens were quite, as Boomer would say, _interesting_. The pair squabbled like an old married couple but they were two peas that fit right into the same pod. Butch would make a snarky remark and Buttercup would fire back with a killer comeback. It always began a competition between the two and surprisingly Buttercup always emerged as the victor. His brother was a lightning spark that roared during a raging storm, tearing down anything at its wake.

And Buttercup?

Buttercup _was_ the storm.

A furious terrifying storm that reigned the skies and drained pellets of rain and terror. A storm that could shake the bravest of hearts and make the Jabberwocky tremble in his sleep.

His mind finally landed on the last sister of the three. Boomer decided that the name ' _Bubbles_ ' suited the blonde, recalling her light blue blouse and her long brown skirt that was embroidered with white daisies. She carried a small leather bag that slung across her petite figure and her ash blonde locks were tied into two ponytails. The girl wore the _'girl next door'_ style adequately and her shy demeanor contrasted against her sister's headstrong and commanding personalities. Boomer could remember the wistful blue eyes that stared at him across the dinner table.

He wondered if there was something deeper behind that timid act.

Bubbles was a techie like him, her soft features glowing against the harsh glare of the laptop screen as she programmed a screen of code, an ocean full of jibberish that even Boomer couldn't decipher.

She had her quirks and her talents. Just like he did.

The clouds turned cloudy and the hue of purple finally dwindled and vanished, replaced with the night and the gleaming shine of the crescent moon. Boomer shuffled past a couple who held hands and whispered hushed murmurs of romantic love proclamations. He neglected the pair and kept his silent stroll down the street, this time searching for a path home.

At times he wished he had gone for a simple nine to five job behind a cubicle; maybe then he would have time to live a normal life, go get brunch with a couple of colleagues, and maybe even catch himself a pretty girl in the office.

Boomer turned the corner, his heel grinding hard against the pavement. His eyes flickered as he stopped at his tracks.

He could've sworn he saw a flash of blonde and the pattern of white daisies.

Boomer stepped back the way he came, his figure leaning behind him as he walked around the intersection a second time.

He was right- his eyes would never lie to him.

There she was, her braids thrown over her shoulder blades and her lightweight blouse flowed with the breeze. Her bony fingers clutched the strap of her bag as she looked into the windowpane of a store.

Boomer didn't know how he ended up in front of the delicate female, but his legs seemed to have moved without his command.

**"Bubbles?"**

The blonde turned her head slowly as if she were dazed and intoxicated. The girls didn't live in Boomer's part of New York and they had made their departure hours ago.

So why was she still here?

 **"Oh,"** Bubbles bit her bottom lip, releasing her hold on the bag and dropping her arms to her sides.

 **"Hey Boomer,"** she greeted.

 **"Are you okay? Do you need a ride back home?"** Boomer rubbed the nape of his neck awkwardly, flashing her a wry smile.

She shook her head, the whisps of her hair swaying with her action.

**"No, thank you though. I was just shopping for my sister's-** _**er** _ **\- our birthday."**

_**"Birthday?"** _

**"Yeah,"** Bubbles smiled, the apples of her cheeks rising.

**"It's coming up soon but I have no idea what to get."**

The silence seemed to be a reoccurring theme for the two.

 **"Is there something bothering you?"** Boomer blurted. The smile on Bubble's faltered and dropped.

**"What? I-"**

**"Is there something bothering you?"** He repeated, this time frowning. **"It looks like you've got something to get off your chest."**

 **"I-uh,"** Bubbles stammered, unsure of her answer. Her mind raced and her body broke out into cold sweat. Her nerves jumped as if activating her automatic defense mode and her lips seemed to lock shut.

 **"I just- I don't know."** It came out as a whisper.

Boomer placed a hand on her shoulder to which Bubbles flinched back at the touch, her eyes looking everywhere but the boy.

**"Is it about that?"**

**"I don't know what to do."**

The two grew quiet as they stood in front of the shop, its golden interior lights glimmered onto the pair.

 **"I'm sorry."** It was all Boomer could muster.

Bubbles laughed bitterly, **"about** _ **what**_ **? My broken family or my** _ **broken life?"**_

" **Both** ," Boomer delivered a look of sympathy. The taste of bile rose to his tongue.

**"And mostly about what your father did to you."**

She shook her head again and shrugged weakly as her lips pressed into a fine line.

 **"It's not** _ **your**_ **fault. It's not** _ **my**_ **fault and it's certainly not something to blame the** _ **world**_ **for,"** Bubbles said aloud.

 **"It was** _ **his hands**_ **that were stained with blood."**

The tranquil moonlight grew grim and eerie. Boomer felt a chill trickle up his spine.

 **"And it was** _ **his choice**_ **to keep it on there."**

**"But despite all that you still wouldn't wish death upon him."**

**"Sometimes I did,"** Bubbles clenched her jaw.

**"I don't blame you."**

Her eyes met his. Blue on blue.

 **"What's done is in the past,"** she said.

 **"And yet it still haunts you years later,"** Boomer stated. This made her sigh.

**"I never wanted to do it. But maybe if we- maybe if we brought some type of justice, it'll calm the ache of the life I was forced to leave behind. We'll finally feel safe and protected."**

**"I'll protect you."**

**"What?"** Disbelief dripped from her mouth.

 **"I said I'll protect you,"** Boomer rehearsed. **"I mean we're working together, right? We'll bring peace to your sisters and everyone else they've hurt. It's our job and it's what we believe in."**

Bubbles flashed him a half-hearted smile.

**"Uh, yeah. Thanks. I don't think I've heard that before."**

Bubbles nodded as the boy waved her a quick goodbye and disappeared around the corner. The lights of the store terminated and she was left under the dim spotlight of the single street light.

Once again, Bubbles was left alone.

She looked up as it began to rain, the droplets of water coming in contact with her skin.

It seemed childish to say, but the world didn't seem to understand her and neither did her own sisters.

So how did someone like Boomer seem to fill the empty void that had been drilled into her heart? She wasn't dumb enough to trust anyone she had just met and she didn't plan on trusting him now, or _ever_.

I mean, the Jojo brothers were only a minor inconvenience, just like the previous agents that had tried to pull the same stunt.

This would go by like a blur, just like the bullet that had pierced Jonathan's forehead.

As the rain began to pick up in speed, Bubble's mind wandered to the professor.

A part of her still felt the ghost of the love she felt for the father that broke all was left of her and her sisters.

But the other part was the piece that drove her to do what she did- the piece that drove them to bloodshed on the man who was supposed to love them unconditionally.

It was the piece that prayed and wished every night that Antonio Utonium burned mercilessly in the hungry flames of hell.

Love was fleeting and an unfortunate disease that made people weak.

Bubbles Utonium sure as hell was not weak.


	5. Friends with the Enemy

_'You can't turn up the heat and blame the water for boiling' - Victoria Aveyard._

**Chapter 5: Friends with the Enemy**

**"No mourners, no weepers, no** **_sympathy_ ** **,"** Buttercup inspected her knives, turning the blades side to side, allowing the dim light to reflect the surface of the polished steel. Bubbles glimpsed at the pistol that sat by the windowsill, its oiled exterior winking back at her. **"At least that's what helps me sleep at night."**

Bubbles sunk back into the frayed mattress, the small gun still visible at the corner of her vision.

 **"The nightmares have been worse,"** she mumbled. The bustle of the city life hummed outside, but the blaring of the traffic and the noisy rush of the people paled in comparison to the thoughts that meddled with her mind. Bubbles questioned why she had hated New York City so much- why she'd take any given opportunity to pack her bags and leave the city life behind her.

Maybe it was because of the crime.

Or maybe it was because the Big Apple had reminded her too much of her growing trauma. A city that never slept, the trauma that never died with their originators; close enough.

 **"Was it a mistake?"** Bubbles whispered. Buttercup bent back, her loose ponytail falling behind her. She had almost forgotten about Blossom if not for her light snores, who sprawled across her own threadbare cushions, wrapped with a thin blanket.

 **"Mistake,"** Buttercup spoke, the word seeming alien to her. It tumbled out her lips like a foreign language. Bubble's fingers pulled at the loose seams of the mattress. **"I don't make mistakes,"** Buttercup swished the blade, the sound of the knife cutting through air. **"We don't make** **_mistakes_ ** **. Outburst? Understatement. Accident?** **_Perhaps_ ** **. I'd like to call it an incident, simply a** **_memory_ ** **. Not a good one, but what am I supposed to do? Imagine that Antonio had been swimming in a pool of strawberry jam instead of bleeding to death? Truth hates to be denied. I refuse to rustle in its snares like a helpless rabbit."**

Bubbles winced at the mental image, her lip curling up in disdain. Buttercup never called the professor their father, just his first name. After all, he was the catalyst to their cause but hearing his name still stung.

 **"It's not only that."** The air began to feel suffocating and the world outside seemed to blur into nothing but background noise.

 **"It's everyone else,"** Bubbles explained. Buttercup took a seat next to the blonde, setting the dagger beside her.

 **"It's Rachael Adams, George Lopez, Chloe Price,"** her voice cracked. **"It's** **_Jonathan_ ** **too. Everyone we've killed, good or bad. And every time I try to wash the blood off my hands, the faucet leaks blood. It's horrible."**

She buried her face in her knuckles, pressing hard against her eyelids; her teeth bit down at her lower lip choking back a watery cough. Buttercup's gaze softened as she relaxed her head at the crook of Bubble's neck, a golden piece of hair brushing against her temple. The blonde stifled a sob, tears dripping like the faucet that haunted her in her sleep.

 **"You know,"** Buttercup sighed, her fingers reaching up to grip her sister's wrist. Her elbow hung loose. **"Sometimes I don't sleep either. When you and Blossom think I'm asleep. When you wake up from your night terrors and head to the kitchen for a glass of milk. When the ambulance roars at three in the morning and its red lights bleed through our window. I've seen it all."**

The ravenette let out a raspy, bitter laugh that lacked any actual humor. Merriment was hard to come by at uncertain times and The Caligo knew this all too well. Bubbles lifted her head, the bags under her eyes red from rubbing.

 **"It's funny isn't it?"** Buttercup continued. The sound of Blossom's snores hung in the air. **"The toughest fighter being afraid to dream because of a stolen childhood. I don't cry anymore- you know I haven't cried since. It doesn't matter. Doesn't mean I'm** **_over it-_ ** **doesn't mean I've** **_moved on_ ** **. It just means that I'm numb and I've healed enough to leave an ugly scar.**

 **"I don't want to do this as much as you do,"** Buttercup tapped her barefoot on the ground as she eyed the peeling scraps of paint hung on the walls. Her voice diminished to a murmur as if she was telling Bubbles an extraordinary secret. To the public eye, exchanges like these were their best-kept secrets, but when it was late enough to see the distant stars scatter the night sky, that was when the facades crumbled and the strong were allowed to be vulnerable.

 **"But I'll follow Leader Girl where ever she goes,"** Buttercup said. **"I'll follow you and Bossy Blossy to the edge of the world-** **_hell_ ** **, I'd walk across the damn planet for you. What's it to me? You're all I have."**

The sisters remained slumped, their back against the wall as they listened to the gradual rise and fall of their chests. The single bulb that hung above the two wavered and died out like a firefly that had been trapped in its jar too long. Buttercup groaned as she picked herself up from the mattress.

 **"I hate changing bulbs,** " Buttercup scowled. She plucked a dirty shirt off the floor and draped it over a nearby rocking chair.

 **"Try to sleep Bubs."** Although her back faced the blonde, Bubbles allowed a tiny smile to emerge from the mess of salty teardrops. Her attention shifted and trained at the open shutter as the muffled thump of Buttercup's footsteps grew fainter and fainter.

 **"You too Buttercup..."** The sentence croaked out from the back of her throat, but just like Rachael Adams, George Lopez, and the names and faces she wished she could forget, her sister was already gone.

* * *

The week went by like a blur. The guys received no message from the Utoniums- no texts, no calls, and no traces of the multicolored triplets. The anxious Brick was beginning to believe he had simply imagined the girls- the unfortunate result of restless nights of tossing and turning and a case that drove him closer and closer to insanity.

Boomer reassured his brother with a hot cup of tea while Butch smacked him upside the head.

That was before Brick punched the ravenette.

The corner of Brick's mouth quirked downward, the skin of his forehead wrinkling together, bunching into unnatural folds. His weight sunk into the plush grey cushion of his sofa as he glared down the scattered papers that were placed on the coffee table. A muscle in his cheek twitched as the sound of ' _ping's_ and ' _pang's_ absorbed the room.

 **"** **_Hah_ ** **! Suck on that one!"** Butch cried, flecks of spit flying out his mouth. He swung his paddle hard, sending the ping pong ball soaring towards the other side of the long table where his blonde brother stood across from him.

 **"You've lost** **_four times_ ** **already,"** Boomer whined, deflecting the attack as he blinked wearily from the previous rounds. **"Give it up slinthead. It's not natural for someone to have an ego as large as yours."**

**"And it's not natural for someone to be as dumb as you are Blondie, but there you stand."**

**"You're embarrassing yourself."**

**"Wait until I shove this stick up-"**

**"God** **_shut the fuck up!"_ **

A pair of red eyes flickered towards the mop of black and blonde hair, his lips tugging into a deep frown. The ping pong ball bounced quietly, then dropped to the floor, declaring Boomer the winner of yet another intense brawl.

 **"Next time I'll cut both your heads and place them on the wall as a memorable trophy,"** Brick ran his fingers over his head, ruffling the already disheveled hair. His maroon cap laid discarded at his side, the top of the hat caving slightly inward.

 **"Sorry,"** the two mumbled in unison as they approached the sofa where Brick sat.

 **"Nothing from the girls, huh?"** Boomer said as he cocked his head towards the glass table. Butch folded his arms across his chest, allowing the paddle to rest under his armpit.

 **"I'm beginning to think we've been fooled."** Butch tried his hardest not to pout.

 **"The only idiot here is you,"** Boomer snorted, earning a glare from the brute. Brick cleared his throat, snapping his fingers.

 **"I meant it when I said I needed something to hang on the walls,"** Brick threatened. He dragged his pointer finger over the papers that jumbled in messy piles on the surface, shuffling away each document until a notepad came into view. The same notepad gave to them by Blossom.

 **"Don't you think it's suspicious how they know all of this?"** Brick pondered as his thumb traced the heavily pressed words on the line. **"In the past, we've managed to track down the worst of the worst criminals in less than a week. It's been a month and the closest lead we've gotten is a bunch of girls out for revenge."**

 **"I mean, they have been working on this for years,"** Boomer spoke, his thumbs brushing against one another. He bunched his lips to one side. **"I think you're letting your pride speak for you."**

Brick shrugged. He could feel a thin layer of perspiration form at his upper lip.

 **"But don't you think this is- it's** **_sketchy_ ** **,"** the redhead licked his lips. **"They come to us, knowing we've been given the same case. They knew that we were there at Joe's the other night and not to mention Buttercup knew where to find Butch. Hell Blossom knew my name- I never fucking told her. They're hiding something and it's not just how much shit they have on us."**

 **"A coincidence? Maybe, maybe not,"** Butch played with the paddle, his wrist swinging in circles.

 **"Brick is right,"** Boomer hesitated before speaking again. **"Now that you've pointed it out, it does seem too...** **_planned out_ ** **."**

Brick nodded, exhaling as he slumped lightly into the couch. "Right. This information could be false for all we know- a sick prank, a joke. I'm not going to trust anything they say until I've seen it with my own two eyes."

His concentration lingered back to neat handwriting of the notepad.

 **"Three females,"** Butch read aloud, his head peering over his brother's shoulder for a closer look. **"Twenty-three. One's a redhead, the other a blonde, and the last one has black hair."**

 **"Blonde? Bubbles. Redhead? Blossom. Dark hair? Buttercup."** Brick sucked in a sharp breath. **"Twenty-three and female. The similarities are uncanny."**

Butch clucked his tongue, his nose scrunching lightly. Boomer shook his head.

 **"No Brick, we've got the wrong triplets,"** the blonde frowned **. "It can't be them- their father got** **_killed_ ** **by The Caligo. I've talked to Bubbles and... it's not them. It can't be."**

Brick swung his leg over the other, **"they were abused. What makes you think they didn't just snap and kill him themselves."**

Butch placed his palm flat on the surface as the other cupped his chin.

 **"It makes sense,"** Butch stated. His fingers began to drum against the glass. **"** **_To an extent._ ** **The only factor is: even if they were criminals, not even the dumbest ones would out themselves like that. It's too risky and most of all, it's too easy."**

 **"Plus, we can't run around pointing fingers when we don't have any evidence but mere theories,"** Boomer added.

 **"I never confirmed anything. Just that we pry something out of them,"** Brick said through gritted teeth. Boomer and Butch exchanged the same look they always did when their older brother was in a foul mood.

Brick was determined to pry whatever secrets the Utoniums possessed and to settle the case once and for all- mostly to just earn back the multiple hours of sleep he had lost the past month. A jolt of joy shuddered through Brick- he knew that they were up to something. Business partners- if that's what their alliance was- never went quiet for multiple days at once unless they were plotting something. Gifts were rarely given by Brick and he didn't dare spare the luxury of trust with the Utoniums.

As if on cue, Brick felt a loud vibration through his pant pocket. He reached in and when he pulled out the cell, he found himself staring at an incoming call from none other than the person he had been expecting for the past seven days.

_Blossom Utonium: Incoming call._

**"Speak of the devil,"** Butch chuckled as Brick pressed hard on the green button before a ' _hello_ ' rang out from the other line. Boomer put the female on speaker.

 **"Hello?"** Boomer spoke aloud. **"Blossom?"**

 **"West Village. Get your asses here right now."** It sounded more of a command rather than an invitation. Hearing her stern, cold-stone tone rose a tick of irritation in Brick.

 **"Excuse me?"** He had to abstain from spitting out the short phrase, the words feeling like poison in his mouth.

 **"I don't think I stuttered, did I?"** Blossom responded from the other line. They could almost feel her scowl. **"Buttercup found something at West Village that's worth taking a look at."** Brick cocked a brow when he heard a faint _'she's waiting'_ in the background to which he could only assume was Bubbles.

**"Why would she be at West-"**

**"Just meet us there. Or do I have to spell it out for you."**

**"Watch your-"**

**"Pronto."**

_Beep_

Brick colored, snarling down at his phone as the call ended, wishing he could wrap his hands around her dainty neck and strangle her. A part of his wished for the Blossom-At-The-Club back; at least that version of her was respectful and didn't emit high maintenance bitch energy. Brick pushed himself off the cushions as he grabbed his snapback and slipped on his shoes.

 **"I still won,"** he heard Boomer say.

 **"Let's go,"** Brick deadpanned, snatching his coat from the wooden hangers as he headed towards the door. He peered back, catching Boomer who narrowly avoided a soaring paddle that whisked past his earlobe.

**"Yo! What the fuck!"**

**"I won't miss next time you dipshit!"** Butch barked.

Brick cursed under his breath, twisting the doorknob open as his brother shuffled behind him.

**"I'm surrounded by fools."**

* * *

**"We're getting pretty good at this revenge thing."**

Blossom smoothed her hair behind her ear, shooting a small smirk at Bubbles. The blonde chewed away at her bottom lip, nibbling at the dead skin.

 **"I'd like to call this a pardon paid by a small favor,"** Blossom responded. **"Well, scratch the pardon part- more of a** **_warning_ ** **."**

Buttercup took a sip from her can of Coke, tilting her head back while keeping her sight on Blossom.

 **"No reason why someone who's practically drowning in cash would be in debt with a bunch of quote-unquote** **_'lowlife thugs.'_ ** **"** Buttercup tossed the now empty beverage into the recycling bin, beaming as she watched the can dive straight in.

 **"I'll bury her in it if I have to,"** Blossom pursed her lips. Her hand played with a strand of her long hair. **"I didn't intercept a whole shipment of heroin for some** **_rich snob_ ** **to tell me I worked for** **_free_ ** **."**

Bubbles cradled a mini chip in the palms of her hands as Buttercup checked her watch, licking her lips as the minutes ticked by.

 **"Where the hell are they?"** The ravenette let her arm fall limp to her side, her green orbs following a fancy white car that drove by. Believe it or not, Buttercup had never stolen an expensive car- she had simply never needed to. Her eyes glittered with excitement; regardless of it being stolen or brought with heist money, the thought of riding in a multi-million white Rolls Royce almost sent her in a fit of giggles.

**"Missed me already, Spitfire?"**

The three of them whirled around, following the husky voice that appeared from behind them. Buttercup rolled her eyes as she pushed up her sleeves.

 **"One day you're going to make me spell** **_'I'm sorry'_ ** **across your chest with stab wounds."**

The dark-haired male waved a dismissive hand, tsking. **"What's the fun in that Spitfire, if I'm going to die halfway through '** **_sorry_ ** **'?'"**

 **"Buttercup will make sure you wallow in your humiliation at your final hours,"** Blossom cut in, pretending to examine her nails to dodge Brick's seething glare. It was considered _'mutual acknowledgment of the other's presence'_ for Blossom to return the splendid gesture but in the end, had decided against it. The morning of, she'd woken up to a client's pitiful plea of forgiveness before she put a bullet through his head and fell back to sleep; Blossom wasn't exactly in the mood for being petty.

 **"Let's cut to the gist,"** Brick said as his heel tapped against the cement. **"What's the reason you called us here?"**

The redhead quirked a brow as she finally met Brick's gaze, vivid red meeting hot pink. She wagged her pointer finger as if she were provoking a wild beast.

 **"Calm down tiger,"** she whistled. This earned a grunt from Brick. **"You're starting to sound like Buttercup."**

 **"** **_This_ ** **,"** Bubbles spoke, lifting her hands. The boys leaned closer, peering into the girl's palm.

 **"What is this? A chip?"** Boomer asked. He stared at his brothers.

Buttercup placed her hands on her hips, **"I don't know about you, but Bubbles did some major locating and found that The Caligo had resided at West Village at one point."** She tapped at her chin.

 **"Locating?"** Brick asked. Blossom shrugged and brushed down her skirt.

 **"Bubbles knows computer science and Buttercup's the little girls' scout. Smooth as a stick of butter on a hot pan,"** Blossom stated.

 **"Breaking in, breaking out. Same old, same old."** Buttercup smirked.

 **"And this was in? Just now?"** Butch asked. Bubbles nodded.

 **"Butters just found it,"** she answered. **"I haven't had a chance to take a look into it."**

 **"Well, whichever Caligo -red, blue, or green- had hit it, obviously wanted it to stay hidden,"** Buttercup wriggled with the watch at her wrist. **"Took some mad snooping to find that thing hidden behind a loose block of concrete. It was just... sitting there."**

 **"We found one clue here,"** Blossom contemplated, her brows furrowing in deep thought. **"Imagine how many other places they've gone in and out of, storing the pieces of their puzzles. Once we extract whatever data that's on the chip, it must be enough to lead to the next."**

 **"They won't know what hit them,"** Butch cracked his knuckles.

 _'You won't know what hit you,'_ Bubbles thought as her fingers enclosed around the miniature disk. The six nodded and agreed to return to the Jojo's house so that they could investigate whatever evidence the chip yielded. Bubbles could detect Blossom nearly grimace at the mere thought of the house's interior design. She had agreed- solely describing the drapes as _ugly_ was a compliment in itself.

The walk to the boys' car commenced as Bubbles watched Buttercup shove Butch's arm away as he attempted to swing it around her shoulders. The stubborn reds were a predictable pair, refusing to spare each other a glance, let alone have a civil conversation.

 **_"So?"_ ** Boomer strolled next to her, his arms swaying at his sides. **"Who's on duty? You or me?"**

Bubbles stuffed the chip into her purse, the corners of her lips tugging upwards.

**"You're good, but next to me, you're just a pawn."**

She'd expected him to take the back-handed compliment to offense, but Boomer only laughed.

 **"Showing your true colors, huh,"** he teased. Bubbles tugged at the sleeves of her sweater-jacket. The golden buttons glistened against the sunlight, casting a feeble ray of light at the ground.

**"I'm just confident in my work, that's all."**

**"I appreciate your work, I really do."** Boomer said. This caught the blonde by surprise. **"Brick has never really worked with anyone else but us, so he can be a bit..."**

 **"Challenging? Hard-headed?"** Bubbles answered. **"He's just like Blossom. They don't know how to step down, or rather don't want to."**

 **"You know, you and I aren't that much different either,"** Boomer said, cocking his head towards the female. Bubbles stared at her feet as they moved in unison. Left, right, left, right.

 **"Yeah..."** Bubbles grumbled. Her finger wrapped around a curl of her hair.

There was no business being friends with the enemy, especially since her sisters have just delved in the very first chapter of their tedious scheme. Bubbles wanted to get this up and over with- wipe the blood off her hands as quickly as it got there. She didn't deny the gut-wrenching effects of guilt, but it wasn't the first time she felt this way. Another plan, another victim, another victory.

They arrived at the car, Butch riding shotgun, Brick behind the driver's wheel, and her sisters at the passenger seat. Bubbles let out a breath of air before climbing in beside Blossom and Buttercup, Boomer following suit behind her.

Her sisters knew they had just marched across neutral territory and were now standing in the middle of a battleground. She anticipated the end of their fateful mission, but couldn't help but wonder how much blood would be shed this time.

_'Hopefully, just the blood of three innocent boys, ones with family, friends, and a hopeful future lost to the hands of selfish criminals.'_

The engine rumbled as it started, Brick's keys dangling from the vehicle. They began to move as Bubbles clicked her seatbelt in place, ignoring Brick's eyes that watched her from the rearview mirror. The blonde nodded as Blossom rested a hand on Bubble's thigh- their signal for comfort. Normally, it worked. But not this time.

Nothing could calm the nerves that caused her heart to thunder at a mile per second.

The innocent girls were gone and The Caligo had come to see the dirty work.

* * *

The five huddled around Boomer as his fingers flew across the keyboard, the sound of clicking piercing through the tense atmosphere.

 **"My sister could do this faster,"** Blossom murmured under her breath, crossing her arms across her chest. Brick glared at the redhead, his jaw stiffening at the remark.

 **"For someone who came knocking on** **_our_ ** **door, you're very** **_grateful_ ** **,"** Brick responded through gritted teeth. Boomer rolled his eyes.

 **"Oh I'm** **_so so sorry_ ** **Mr.** **_Jojo_ ** **,"** Blossom seethed, sarcasm coating each word like sickly-sweet nectar.

 **"** **_Please_ ** **Mr. Jojo,"** Buttercup added, tipping her head at the two reds. **"I** **_beg_ ** **for forgiveness as we have just committed the outrageous sin of** **_overestimation._ ** **"** Butch bit back a snicker, watching his brother's face heat and his eyebrows crinkling together with frustration.

 **"Blossom, be quiet,"** Bubbles frowned, then poking a finger at Buttercup. **"You too Butters. It's a lot harder than you both presume it to be. First, you have to-"**

 **_"Aha!"_ ** Boomer cried as he slammed down on the ' _enter_ ' button. The screen of code vanished, replaced with a library that contained a single folder.

 **"Well, it wasn't easy to get into,"** Boomer said as he dragged the cursor towards the file. **"It was difficult to find and even harder to access."**

 _'The handiwork of Bubbles.'_ A sense of pride bloomed in Blossom.

The contents spilled onto the screen as Boomer double-clicked the icon. Brick leaned closer, gripping the edges of the counter.

 **"Huh,"** Butch said. He squeezed himself between Blossom and Buttercup. **"This is...** **_surprising_ ** **."**

Boomer pursed his lips as he scrolled down the page. **"One page only? God this is a bummer."**

Blossom waved her hand. **"It's better than nothing."**

 **"Princess Morbucks,"** Buttercup sneered, reading from the virtual document. **"Previous purchases from The Caligo. They all list from late August of 2019 to last May. In debt for** **_one-hundred and forty thousand dollars_ ** **worth of heroin. Princess is just begging to have either her or** **_her family_ ** **dead."**

 **"We went to school with her,"** Bubbles gasped. **"She was in Miss Keane's class."**

 **"Didn't think the heir of such a privileged family would fall into the wrong crowd,"** Blossom said as she took control of the mouse. She scrolled to the end of the page.

 **"Her address,"** Brick narrowed his eyes. **"It seems to be that she's moved quite a lot this year. Probably trying to avoid trouble with The Caligo."**

 **"No amount of change goes unnoticed"** Butch noted the multiple addresses that were listed. **"They find her every time."**

 **"She lives in the Upper East Side now,"** Bubbles said. **"It's the most recent."**

 **"I say we pay her a visit,"** Boomer proposed as he rested his elbow on the surface of the table. **"Interrogation. She'll crack under pressure- or the withdrawal of heroin."**

Brick nodded, stepping back.

 **"Blossom and I will stay back and try to make use of whatever information we have now,"** Brick straightened his back. **"Bubbles and Boomer, you two can arrange a meeting with the Morbucks."** He drew in a long breath. **"And if all goes wrong, I'm going to have to rely on my idiot of a brother and the prodigy spy to break some laws for us."**

Blossom opened her mouth to object, a string of protests ready to fire at the tip of her tongue.

 **"Not to feed your ego, but you and Brick are the best pair of brains we have,"** Buttercup chided. **"Set your differences aside or at least agree to disagree for the time being."**

Blossom bit her tongue, feeling the pinprick of her nails digging into her palms.

 _'Buttercup's right,'_ she thought. _'The table of crime only has two seats and there was no spot for emotion to join their dinner party.'_

 **"Looks like it's just me and you Spitfire,"** Butch cooed, rolling is tongue into Buttercup's ear. She smacked him away, scowling.

**"I'm seriously going to put a bullet through you one day."**

**"Awe, you're going to** **_mark me?_ ** **How possessive of you,"** he purred.

**"Don't be surprised once your dick's stuck on the outside of your door."**

**_"Spitfire,"_ **he whined.

Blossom shook her head, quirking a brow towards Brick. He frowned in response.

**"I'm surrounded by fools."**

* * *

_a/n: phew! some juicy character development on Bubbles. buttercup and blossom will come in soon, along with the rest of the boys :P_


	6. A Spy With a Knack for Scaling High Stories and Knife Throwing

_"They call you the Flame of the North, your Majesty, show us fire."_

_Then the premier looks at me, "And show us storm.”_

_― Victoria Aveyard, War Storm_

**Chapter 6: A Spy With a Knack for Scaling High Stories and Knife Throwing**

**"So the dinner plan _failed_ ." **

Bubble's fingers curled around the strap of her black purse as her tongue ran across her front teeth.

 **"They did say she was... _sick_ ." ** Bubbles replied, eyeing the design etching into the wood of the door. The two stood at the front entrance of the Morbucks Manor, Boomer grasping a bouquet and the blonde next to him carrying a petite bag of cookies. He rang the bell once, then a second time, and then a third, receiving no answer for the past ten minutes. Bubbles squeezed her eyes shut, wrapping her mind around how the encounter would play out before her.

**_"I'd like to call this a pardon paid by a small favor. Well, scratch the pardon part- more of a warning."_ **

* * *

Bubbles shuddered as Blossom dropped the vial of poison into Princess's mouth, the brunette's eyes glazed with sleep and a dribble of drool slid down the corner of her lips. 

**" _One_ formula, meaning only _one_ antidote," ** Blossom waved the small bottle in the air, pressing the now empty glass between her thumb and pointer finger. **"No amount of money will let her live."**

 **"What's the point of making a cure when we're just going to let her die,"** Buttercup snorted. She sat perched on the edge of the window sill, her ink-black hair streaming behind her as the wind rolled in. Her elbow rested on her knee as her dagger danced around her fingers. _Escanor_ , the blade was called- a gift given by Bubbles after her first successful scam.

**"I still don't see the benefit. We lose good, rich snob money."**

Blossom shrugged, slipping the flask into her breast pocket. **"Just to tease."**

 **"I'm sure God has a special place in hell for you,"** Buttercup smirked as she saluted with two fingers, the blade of her knives glittering in the moonlight. **"I'll see you on the way down, don't be late."** Bubbles watched as she slipped out into the open air, her steps as silent as the night before them.

 **"Show off,"** Blossom grumbled as she signaled toward Bubbles. **"C'mon, let's go. I've got to start marking the number of days it takes for the drug to kill her."**

 **"Another experiment?"** Bubbles moved swiftly towards the redhead. Blossom tapped her chin.

**"I guess you could call it that."**

* * *

**"Maybe they're not home,"** Boomer muttered. Bubbles shook her head. 

**"That doesn't make sense,"** she frowned. **"We scheduled a meeting. It's not like we're coming _uninvited_ ." **

**"Quite rude if you-"**

The door swung open, its brass hinges grinding against one another as a maid dressed in a frilly black and white uniform appeared at the entranceway.

 **"H-hello?"** The maid held a small basket of laundry, her big brown eyes wide.

**"How can I help you?"**

**"Good afternoon, I'm Boomer Jojo,"** he introduced, then motioned towards Bubbles. **"I'm here with my assistant. I'm sure you've heard that we've scheduled a meeting with Princess Morbucks."**

The maid shook her head violently, her hold on the basket tightening.

 **"No, no,"** she stammered, the mess of words tumbling out her frightened lips. **"I'm a-afraid you cannot see Miss. Morbucks. You see, she's under tight quarantine and-"**

 **"Elizabeth,"** a shrill, weak voice rang out from behind the maid. Elizabeth's face paled, its previous pink flush draining from her cheeks as she pressed her lips into a tight line. 

**"Let them in,"** the voice commanded, accompanied with a fit of muffled coughs. Boomer sucked in a sharp breath.

 **"B-but Miss,"** the maid protested quietly. **"It's not safe. You must-"**

 **"They're _my_ guests," ** the voice interjected, this time their tone harsher. **"Now _please_ get out of my sight before I have you scurrying around trying to find a new job." **

The maid nodded, averting her gaze to her feet. She shuffled away, leaving the door open as her footsteps echoed throughout the much too lonely mansion. 

_'Healthy or sick, you're still as demanding as ever,'_ Bubbles thought as she and Boomer stepped into the house. She glanced around as they made their way into the living room, their shoes clicking against the polished marble floors. Her eyes landed on a scrawny figure who slumped weakly into the leather sofa, the brunette's blistered feet relaxed on a matching footrest. The sickly woman almost resembled death itself, her lips cracked and bleeding, her face devoid of life, and the expensive silk nightgown hanging from the body made of nothing but skin and bones. 

Bubbles bit her lip, resisting the urge to grimace at the state of the brunette as she set the box of cookies at the glass coffee table. Boomer placed the flowers beside him as the two took a seat at the couch across from the woman.

 **"Hello, Miss. Morbucks,"** Bubbles hesitated, flashing a sympathetic smile. **"I'm-uh- quite sorry for your... ill state."**

 **"What do you want?"** Princess cawed, her hair falling upon her shoulders. The brown that used to glimmer from countless hair treatments were gone, leaving the color dull and without shine. Bubble clenched her fists on her lap, noticing the bald spots that scattered at Princess's scalp.

 **_"Well,"_ ** Boomer responded, letting out a nervous laugh as he clasped his hands. **"My assistant and I are here to send our condolences and we do wish you'll be able to emerge at your best health-"**

Princess scoffed, but the action was replaced with another raspy cough. The luxurious crystal chandelier seemed to burn craters in her broken skin. She reminded Bubbles of a bitter, old woman, not the arrogant, spoiled twenty-three-year-old heir Princess used to be.

 **"No one has visited me once,"** she spat, smacking her parched lips together. **"My family abandoned me as soon as I became bedridden. They've practically disowned me- no one would care if I were to drop dead at this very instance.**

**"So why now? What do you want from me?"**

Princess stirred in her seat, trying to mask the pain that spurted through her limbs as she moved. Boomer watched as the brunette brushed the dead strands of her behind her ear, exposing her neck.

 **"Is that?"** His eyes narrowed. **"May I ask... what is that on your neck, Miss Morbucks?"** Bubbles licked her lips as she reached into her pocket, clicking the voice recorder to a start. 

Princess brought her frail fingers up to her neck, snarling as she made contact with the soft silk tied around her throat.

 **"This?"** She tugged on the silk ribbon, a scowl spreading across her sunken features. Princess let out a sarcastic chuckle, the sound resembling more like a hack rather than laughter. 

**"Someone brought a nice accessory to go with my nightgowns. Do you like it? I'm starting to get used to it."**

**"Is?"** Bubbles feigned confusion, her eyebrows furrowing together. **"Is that what I think it is?"**

 **"Those lowlife _scums_ ," ** Princess's lip curled in disgust. Her fingers fell limp above her abdomen, the energy draining from her eyes. **"I woke up so weak and lying in my own filth. I couldn't move a damn limb. My useless excuse of a family wouldn't take it- this damn _mark_ \- off for me. They said something about being cursed by The Caligo. The next day, they packed their bags and left for our summer house. **

**"I know you're here to get something from me,"** She frowned. **"No one comes to the Morbucks home out of their own goodwill."**

Bubble's jaw hardened, observing as Princess's head hung back with exhaustion. 

_'Should've added a bit more if I knew she would talk so much shit,'_ Blossom would say, her blazer snug around her shoulders. _'Then again, death is much too good of a gift to give.'_

 **"You're right,"** Boomer said, standing up. Bubbles shot him a warning glance, but his eyes hardened with determination.

 **"My assistant is a victim to their crimes and I'm here to request for your _assistance_ ," ** Boomer continued as Bubbles rose next to him. **"I don't expect much. Just for what you know about The Caligo. Everything that goes on in this room stays in this room. I promise you."**

Bubbles leaned towards the blonde, lightly nudging his side. 

**"What are you doing?"** She whispered.

 **_"Saving time,_ " **Boomer answered through gritted teeth. 

Princess tapped her pointer finger against her stomach. Her nails were ground to her flesh, the dried blood clinging on her cuticles from weeks of nervous biting. She lifted her head, her expression blank before she frowned.

 **"You know,"** Princess choked out, her eyes squinting into slits as if she were trying to get a better look at an image placed too far for her sight.

**"You look a lot like someone I know back at school, Miss. Assistant."**

Bubbles remained still, her countenance unwavering, but her heart began to pick up in speed.

 **" _Please_ ," ** Boomer pleaded.

 **"I don't know anything,"** Princess hissed, the corner of her eye twitching. **"I've never come in contact with that _stupid gang_ . For all I know, I'm just another guinea pig for them to toy with." **

' _Bullshit_ ,' Bubble's subconscious sneered. _'You brought this upon yourself and you won't even admit it.'_

 **"You must know something,"** Boomer pushed. **"Just anything you can think of-"**

**"I said, no."**

Bubbles sighed. _'This poor, poor bastard.'_

 **"If there's any price,"** Boomer prodded. Bubbles tugged on his sleeve, watching as Princess's frown deepened.

**"You must know _something_ , Miss. Morbucks. _Please_ , if only-" **

**_"No,"_ ** her decision remained steady, despite the furrow in her eyebrows indicating the toll her body was taking with their conversation. **_"Mr. Jojo-"_ **

**"Boomer, let's just _go_ ," ** Bubbles tugged at his sleeve again, this time harder, her tone desperate. **"She's _sick_ . Let her rest." **

**"Go, listen to the pretty lady,"** Princess choked into her handkerchief as the cloth slowly stained with bright red blood.

 **_"But-"_ ** he protested. Bubbles shook her head.

 **_"Now,"_ ** Princess squawked from the back of her throat, dropping the tissue on the floor. Her hand began to quiver.

 **"Bubbles,"** Boomer protested, peering down at the blonde. She cocked her head towards the door, glaring.

 **"She said _go_ ," ** Bubbles spoke softly. **"The woman's on her death bed."**

**"But Miss. Morb-"**

**_"Go!"_ **The brunette roared. Bubble's eyes widened before she felt a hand close around her wrist, pulling her away from the hurling object. She felt herself crash into something soft, cushioning her fall. Bubbles flinched as she heard a loud crash behind her. She shoved herself off Boomer's chest, her face flushing as she looked behind her at the smashed box of cookies that laid in a heap of pitiful crumbs. Princess wobbled back into the sofa, her chesting heaving as she panted and her forehead breaking into a cold sweat. Her eyelids fluttered shut as her legs began to tremble from the outburst.

The maid from earlier rushed into the scene, her dark hair now tied back into a neat bun. Her brown eyes grew as she glanced from Princess to the cookies and finally at the two blondes.

 **_"I-I,"_ ** she stuttered. 

**"Elizabeth,"** Princess murmured, her pitch now a faint hum. **" _Please_ see them out and make sure they don't make their way back." **

Elizabeth fell into a low bow before she hurried towards the blondes.

**"Please come this way."**

Bubbles huffed out a breath of air, her gaze lingering at the crumbled cookies as she followed the maid out.

_'What a waste.'_

* * *

Blossom sighed as Brick pushed through a pair of massive double doors, revealing a brilliant room washed by warm rays of sunlight. She could just see the lint flutter in the air as they entered, the door creaking closed behind them. It seemed to resemble an office, though it was more of a make-shift one in the Jojos' attic. A large table was pushed near a set of wide windows that allowed light to pass through and a large bookshelf jumbled with metal bins was connected to the wall beside it. 

**"I've made copies of every resident in New York City,"** Brick said, pointing towards the bookshelf. 

**"And we're going to search through every single one."**

It took Blossom all her will power to refrain from slamming her forehead against the nearest wall, irritation already growing. 

**"It's going to take us forever,"** she mumbled.

Brick shrugged, strolling towards the bins and pulling one out. **"Bubbles said you went to middle school with Morbucks,"** Brick stated as he rested the box against the table near the window. Blossom approached the shelf, her fingers running through the labels that were attached to each case. 

**"We can start on looking through the profiles of people she was associated with,"** Brick shifted his weight onto the edge of the table. **"And that includes people she had been friends before she transferred to home-schooling."**

**"How'd you know she was home-schooled?"**

**"I did some well-needed research on Miss. Morbucks last night. Nothing wrong with getting acquainted with who we might be up against."**

Blossom rolled her eyes. If she had lacked any more patience and self-control, she would've long put poison in his morning coffee. Blossom plopped down on the floor, crossing her legs as she pulled a crate from the very bottom shelf. Brick sat quietly next to her, resting his own box in his lap.

A moment of silence drew out between the pair and the crinkle of papers was the only sound that resounded through the stiff atmosphere. Blossom frowned at the awkwardness- the sun felt like a better company than Brick ever could be. She wondered if he had friends, a girlfriend- and even if he didn't it came as no surprise to her.

Blossom panned through a beige folder, sucking at her left cheek inside her mouth.

 **"If you don't mind me asking,"** Brick said. Blossom set the file down.

**"What exactly... happened with your family?"**

There was a pregnant pause before Blossom opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again. She had known Brick would suspect that she and her sisters were The Caligo- with the evidence given, anyone with their right mind would. She knew that the particular question about her family would pop up sooner or later, too. She just didn't think Brick would ask her much ' _sooner'_ than expected.

**"Wow _uh_ ." **

**"Ah, sorry."** Brick turned his head away, a slight flush donning his cheeks. He pinched the bridge of his nose, embarrassed.

**"I'm prying in too much. I was just curious-"**

" **No, no, it's okay,"** Blossom pressed her lips into a fine line, not bothering to hide her discomfort. She never liked talking about her family, even if it were for 'work purposes' only.

But what could she do? No matter how fast she ran- no matter how fast she was, the past always caught up with her, threatening to eat her alive from the inside out.

 **"It's complicated,"** she paused, then laughed under her breath. **"Traumatizing really. We were broken, but at least we still had a home. Though you couldn't necessarily call it any much of a home, but still, it was somewhere _I could go back to_ . The Caligo- they had killed my father and left us begging in the streets. **

**"I couldn't bear the thought of my sisters ending up in foster homes where we'd inevitably be separated. That's why I'm so set on getting our well-deserved revenge, then part with our past once and for all. But in all reality, sometimes I feel like I'm more of their leader rather than their sister."**

Brick watched the redhead as she returned her gaze to the box, sliding the previous folder back into the compartment. He glanced back at his hands, guilt, and shame flooding into him like an unwanted visitor.

He had never let empathy affect his work life- personal biases had no place in his job.

But why'd he felt so guilty for accusing the Utoniums?

 **"I'm sorry."** It was all he could say.

She froze, resting her elbows on the sides of the bin before looking up at him. 

**"All this time I had been giving you and your sisters a hard time because all the evidence seemed to point directly at you three,"** he huffed. **"I never took into consideration the pain you must go through. I guess it's because I can relate to an extent, but I've healed enough for it to not bother me."**

Brick drew circles at the carpet under them. 

**"My brothers and I didn't exactly have a good family either,"** he smiled sheepishly. **"Well it wasn't as bad as our father getting- _God what am I saying?_ I'm _so-_ My parents separated when I was young and my mother earned full custody of my brothers and I. I never... we never had a chance to meet my father. **

**"My mother was never around either, though. She always worked late to keep a roof above our heads. I can't remember the last time we sat down with her and had a family dinner."**

Blossom placed her hand over Brick's, binging his circular motion on the carpet to a sudden halt. It earned her a glare, the defenses he had knocked down building back up in front of him.

**"What are you doing?"**

**"Comforting you, you smartass,"** Blossom shrugged before retracting her hand. 

**"I'm assuming you didn't get much of that either huh."**

Brick stood up, setting the box at his lap down on the floor. He faced towards the window, refusing to meet Blossom's eyes. He fidgeted with the spot where she had touched him.

 **"I don't want any pity,"** Brick said, his soft composure now gone. **"I'm just setting my differences aside- trying to see you as an ally rather than the enemy. I don't appreciate our... _disagreements_ . Ultimately, it'll become a casualty in our work." **

She only nodded in response.

Brick headed towards the door, his mind racing. He had felt so comfortable opening up to Blossom out of all people, even if it had been for a few mere minutes. To some extent he had related to her in a way- saw himself in her. _Yes_ , he was the eldest of the triplets but sometimes emotion was something he didn't exactly know how to manage, especially when it involved someone else's feelings. 

Just like Blossom, Brick felt as though he was the leader of a petty entourage rather than filling in the shoes of a protective older brother.

 **"I'll finish up,"** Blossom insisted, breaking his train of thought. Brick looked back, twisting the doorknob slightly. Red met pink.

**"Don't overexert yourself. I know how you feel. It's exhausting. Just make sure you know your limitations."**

The door clicked open, standing ajar. 

**"You too, Blossom."** Brick stepped outside, his heart pounding in his chest, his back pressed hard against the flat surface of the door.

He needed a slice of tiramisu.

* * *

Buttercup gnarred as her rubber gloves gripped the hard edges of the surface, the sharp soles of her boots gripping onto the friction against the stone. She pulled herself up, again and again, feeling the rough wind of the night billowing past her like a warm breath of a dragon. The heavy-weight rope was slung at the hip of her belt but the minor inconvenience was no challenge for the spy. If Buttercup managed to break into the Morebucks home in the next three minutes, she would probably have enough time to brew herself a cup of tea, pull her idiot of a partner up from the side of the window, and still be on schedule. Buttercup wasn't any less cocky than a merchant in a fine suit and pearl jewelry, but then again, she _was_ a spy with a knack for scaling high stories and knife throwing. 

Dirty work had always been her specialty. 

Buttercup seized the ledge of the window, pulling herself forward and propped herself on the side with her elbows. The room on the other side of the glass was dark but no curtains blocked Buttercup's sight as she peered inside. She had arrived outside Duchess Morebuck's room, the sleeping chamber cleared from its belongings, leaving only a plain space behind where life used to thrive. 

A soft muffled clang enunciated as the tiny lockpick danced around her mouth and finally rested in between her top and bottom front teeth. Her hands fumbled with the small lock as her head bobbed side to side, working at the link. A string of curse words raced through her head as she tugged at the pick. Buttercup hated DeadLocks with a passion and she hated the ruddy scientist behind the invention even more. 

_'So much for a cup of tea.'_ Sweat beaded above her brow. 

The lock released a satisfying click. Buttercup twisted the metal and unhooked it from its spot before she pushed open the window and climbed in. 

Her feet made soundless contact on the marble floor as she tucked the bolt and the pick into the breast of her jacket. Buttercup unraveled the lengthy ring of rope at her waist and dropped it over the window sill. She flashed a small scope of light at the ground, sending a quick signal before she gripped the rope tightly with both hands. Buttercup yanked back as the rope began to pull from the other end. 

**_"Jesus Christ,"_ ** Buttercup cursed as she tugged, the weight dragging hard against the plastic material of her gloves. **"What on this other side of the atlas does this man eat?"**

She jerked one last time when she saw Butch's head pop through the window. He hit the ground with a quiet thud before Buttercup lifted him by his shirt. 

**"Be quiet you big baboon,"** Buttercup frowned as Butch got up to his feet, brushing the dirt from his clothes. 

**"So? It's just Princess in this whole mansion,"** Butch said. 

**"Yeah, and her pesky little maids sleeping soundly at servants quarters above us,"** Buttercup flicked her wrist at the ceiling as she bundled the rope in a pile and shoved it into the crevice of a small corner. 

**"Now, if all goes to plan,"** Buttercup whispered, peeking her head out the doorway before she turned back to face Butch. She raised a stern finger. 

**"We're going to get in and out of her office before anyone of her guards notice something's missing."**

Butch rolled his eyes as he pushed her hand down. She cocked a brow, her lip curling into a scowl.

 **"Don't you worry Spitfire,"** Butch smirked. **"I was a star ballroom dancer back in middle school. I'm very good with my feet."**

Buttercup scoffed lightly, slipping out a pear sized glass ball that had been tucked in her pocket. She peered back out the doorway, blending herself into the shadows. The house had been built like a circle, a multiple doors plastered to the wall. At the center of the room was a vacant hole where one could look past the steel railing and into the first-floor living room. Her eyes spotted two men who stood on either side of a golden entranceway dressed in black slacks and their blazers draped lazily over their shoulders. The dark-skinned male appeared to be dozing off while the other stood with half-lidded eyelids, his mop of hair falling in front of his face. 

_'What an ill-fitted uniform,'_ Buttercup bit her lip as she clutched the glass sphere.

She watched as his chin dropped to his chest before he jerked his head back in place. Buttercup released the sphere in her hand, chucking it towards the hole in the middle of the circular room. 

The dark-skinned guard awoke, startled at the sound of loud breaking glass. His partner's eyes snapped open, the size of saucers while his hand flew to touch the handle of his gun.

 **_"Who's there!?"_ **The brown male barked. 

**"Chase, I think it came from downstairs,"** the other guard tugged his sleeve, his hand still at his waist where the gun was strapped. **"You know how Jay is, he'll lynch us if we don't show up with the group."**

The two raced down the stairs, their footsteps echoing down the corridor. Buttercup slipped out the doorway and towards the yellow door, sticking herself in the darkness that loomed over the wall, Butch tagging behind her. 

A sour taste rose in her mouth as Buttercup cursed under her breath, grabbing Butch's wrist before she glided into the nearest dark corridor.

 **"Fucking _hell_ ," ** Buttercup gritted her teeth, grazing her fingers across the handles of her daggers. **"What a pain in the ass."**

**"What?"**

**"Inconveniences,"** Buttercup growled before she elbowed past Butch, pressing her back against the velvet wall. 

**"A challenge? To you? Now that's a first,"** Butch snorted silently.

 **"That snob put a _tumbler lock_ on that thing," ** Buttercup responded. **"I can pick two locks at once but tumbler locks need all four to be unlocked at once."**

 **_"Ugh,"_ ** Butch moaned, massaging his temples. **"So what the hell are we supposed to do now? Go back and tell-"**

 **"If we can't go in through the entrance, we'll just make a new one,"** she shrugged. Her ear twitched at the sound of a conversation. 

**"Looks like the guards are back at their posts,"** Buttercup said as she drew out her knives. **"We're going to have to get past them and up into the servant's quarters."**

Butch's eyes grew as he ogled at the polished blades that rested against Buttercup's milky skin.

 **"Wait when my brother said we were going to break a few laws,"** he stammered, flushing at his voice that rose into a high pitch. He kept his voice low, but his heart began to hammer in his chest. He was acting a lot like his brother Boomer but what was he going to do standing behind a bad-tempered woman with _multiple_ weapons in her hands.

**"He didn't say we were going to _kill_ anyone. _Look,_ I know you're _upset_ -" **

**"Oh, will you stop blubbering you brooding idiot,"** Buttercup snapped. She pointed a gleaming blade up to his face, the tip glaring up at the bridge of Butch's nose. He gulped nervously.

 **"Change of plans,"** she said. **"The last thing we want to do is set off the alarms. The maid's quarters are directly above Princess's office so follow my lead will ya?"**

**"So-"**

**"And no, I'm not going to _kill_ anyone. Just... follow my lead." **

Buttercup moved out the corridor, her knives in hand as she bolted silently towards the two males. She raced swiftly in the shade like a deadly assassin, her green orbs glued to her targets. 

The girl slashed at the dark-skinned guard's knees, the knife digging through his trousers and leaving a clean cut through his skin. He yelped with pain as his legs buckled and he fell, clutching the wound that oozed bright, red blood. 

His partner howled in surprise, holding his gun out in defense as his friend laid gasping on the floor.

**"I'll say this _one more time! If you come near_ -" **

Before the officer could continue, Buttercup hurled one of her daggers, the blade digging into the guard's arm. Butch slammed the butt of his pistol at the ebony male's head and Buttercup knocked the other unconscious, drawing the bloody knife from his arm. The two raced up the stairs, leaving both collapsed men on the floor.

 **"I thought there would be no bloodshed tonight. You know I could charge you for this,"** Butch whispered. Buttercup rolled her eyes, taking two steps at a time.

**"I said I wasn't going to _kill_ . And if you want to hang around people like me, you'd better get used to it Mr. Detective. Besides, you need me just as much as I need you." **

Butch couldn't believe the nerve of the woman.

The pair reached the large loft in a matter of seconds. Butch held his breath, his eyes taking in the eight sleeping women who laid peacefully in their cots, their snores filling the vacancy. 

**"Cover your nose,"** Buttercup ordered as she lifted her shirt to cover her nostrils. She retrieved what seemed to be a bomb from inside her jacket. 

**"What are you-"**

**" _Cover your fucking nose_ goddamnit or do you want to join 'dumb and dumber' downstairs. You can be ' _dumbest_ .' I'll even carve a name tag on your chest." **

Butch scowled as he pinched his nose. A vapor of green smoke began to rapidly fill the room before it cleared into nothing. 

**"The chemical puts them into a deep sleep,"** Buttercup stated before she pulled out another vial full of blue liquid.

 **"I don't know if you're supposed to be a Saint or a criminal,"** Butch muttered.

**"Stand behind me if you don't want your ass to melt."**

She unscrewed the top of the container and discharged a minuscule drop at the ground below them. The marble began to sizzle as the liquid absorbed into the stone, then started to eat away at the floor. 

That was before Butch's face twisted in utmost horror and Buttercup drew her knives a little closer.

The pierce of the alarm began to blare through the house, the hiss of the burning floor withering away.


End file.
